Injuries, setbacks, and a record-breaking season lead to a bittersweet ending
The defending Grey Cup champions were back on the road to the finals. The Saskatchewan Roughriders headed to the Western Semi-Final. The regular season had been a bumpy one for the team, but they were in a position to reach the Grey Cup for a second year.
The Riders were plagued with injuries, especially to their core players. A.J. Ouellette fought a lower-body injury while Kian Schaffer-Baker (who had over 1,000 receiving yards) was dealing with a leg injury. Samuel Emilus has been on and off the six-game injured list all season, Matthew Sexton broke his ankle, and Daniel Wiebe had a concussion. The list continues.
The biggest hit to the team was the sudden passing of captain Jayden Dalke in a car accident in July. Yet, the team continued on to a 10–8 record and earned six all-star selections.
The Riders finished the season on a winning note, taking the last two games of the season after a four-game losing skid dating back to the second week of September.
Head coach Corey Mace was happy with the way the regular season ended for his team despite the losing streaks: “I am pleased that we can end the season on a bit of a streak. I feel like we’ve been working for it, and it’s everybody, right? I mean, we saw a bunch of guys that were playing out there today. Everybody’s been putting in the work, you know, to try to pull this thing together. So I feel like we deserve that.”
Tommy Stevens
Amongst the turmoil and uncertain injuries, one Roughrider has been a steady presence on the offensive side of the game.
Tommy Stevens is the Riders’ short-yardage quarterback. When the downs are on the line, Stevens goes out to jump the line of scrimmage to get the first down, and maybe then some. Every time he was called on, he performed.
Stevens broke the Riders’ single-season rushing touchdown record, originally set by George Reed in the 1960s. Stevens logged his 17th regular-season touchdown on Oct. 24 at home.
“I knew that it was a possibility [to break the record]. I wanted it, I wanted to
break it,” Stevens reflected.
There was never a doubt that when Stevens went out on the field, the Riders were going to get the first down. Whatever the coaches asked for, Stevens delivered ten times more. Every time Stevens went on the field at home, fans chanted his name.
Stevens knows that his position is special and not something to take for granted.
“I mean, anytime you’re able to have a role in pro football, it is extremely valuable. I feel like it’s rare. There’s not a lot of spots. Yeah, I’ve wanted to play pro football for about as long as I can remember, and I’m truthfully one of the fortunate ones, man. It is a hard business to stick around,” Stevens said.
Stevens finished the season with 301 rushing yards on 96 attempts.
The Western Semi-Final
The Riders headed to Vancouver to face off against the BC Lions in the Western Semi-Final. The Riders had faced the Lions three times during the regular season and lost two of those matchups.
The riders were entirely capable of beating the Lions, but they needed to make sure the little mistakes that had been so evident in their previous games were kept in check. No dropped balls, missed catches, turnovers, or fumbles. The Lions would pounce on any mistake they can take advantage of.
Nathan Rourke’s offence was a strong one when he locked in and kept his passes in check. The Lions’ defence had done what it normally does: struggle in the first half of the season, then become clean and unbreakable in the second half.
The game took place Oct. 31.
No Grey Cup
It was a fall from grace for the Riders.
Leading for most of the game, the Riders took their foot off the pedal in the third quarter and it cost them the entire game.
Kicker Brett Lauther was outstanding, making all six of his field goal attempts during the game. The game came down to a Hail Mary play in the final minute, but Trevor Harris failed to get the pass away, resulting in a sack and a Lions victory.
Stevens also logged his first postseason touchdown, bringing his combined regular-season and playoff total to 18.
The Riders enter the offseason and will regroup with hopes of playing in the 2027 Grey Cup at home.
The BC Lions will head on to face the Edmonton Elks for the West Division title, while the Winnipeg Blue Bombers will take on the Montreal Alouettes for the East Division title.
