Week 9 of the 2024 CFL regular season has arrived, which means it’s time for our contributors to make their picks straight-up and against the spread.
There’s a three-way tie atop our standings straight-up as Santino Filoso, Joel Gasson, and Ben Grant all stand at 21-11, while Filoso is alone atop our standings against the spread at 20-12. This week features middling point spreads across the board with all four matchups being between three and six points.
Without further ado, here are our picks for Week 9 in the CFL.
Thursday, Aug. 1: B.C. Lions at Winnipeg Blue Bombers — 8:30 p.m. EDT
Lucky Whitehead will start for Winnipeg at boundary slotback as he makes his season debut against his former team, while CFL all-star Keon Hatcher is back for the Lions after suffering a torn Achilles in last year’s West Final. B.C. won the first meeting between these two teams by a score of 26-24 on June 21 as Vernon Adams Jr. hit Alexander Hollins seven times for 215 yards and two touchdowns. The Blue Bombers have improved significantly on defence since then, though the team is coming off a short week after losing to the Argonauts in overtime on Saturday.
ABBOTT: The Bombers are leaking oil on a short week and the Lions are fully charged after a bye. This shouldn’t be close.
Straight-up: B.C. Against the spread: B.C.
BALLANTINE: The Lions are hungry and the Bombers are the slow beast at the back of the pack. Nature-based analysis FTW!
Straight-up: B.C. Against the spread: B.C.
DURRELL: The Lions are coming off a loss and a bye to face a beat-up Bombers squad. This one could get ugly.
Straight-up: B.C. Against the spread: B.C.
FILOSO: No need to overcomplicate this: the Lions are very good and the Bombers are not.
Straight-up: B.C. Against the spread: B.C.
GASSON: The Lions are coming off a loss and bye. Can Winnipeg keep up? Probably not.
Straight-up: B.C. Against the spread: B.C.
GRANT: Winnipeg is much better than their record but B.C. is the best team in the league and they’re coming off a bye.
Straight-up: BC. Against the spread: Winnipeg.
HERRERA-VERGARA: The Bombers are set up for failure in this matchup. I don’t think they’ll offer much resistance.
Straight-up: B.C. Against the spread: B.C.
HODGE: The Blue Bombers are battered and bruised on a short week. Not a good combo.
Straight-up: B.C. Against the spread: B.C.
HOSKINS: B.C. is coming off the bye, while Winnipeg’s on a short week. The Lions repeat the game from earlier in the year.
Straight-up: B.C. Against the spread: B.C.
KLEIN: I don’t think the Bombers could stay close with the Lions if they had equal rest. With B.C. coming off of a bye and Winnipeg getting beat up last week, the gap becomes that much greater.
Straight-up: B.C. Against the spread: B.C.
TOTALS STRAIGHT-UP: B.C. 10, Winnipeg 0.
TOTALS AGAINST THE SPREAD: B.C. 9, Winnipeg 1.
Friday, Aug. 2: Montreal Alouettes at Hamilton Tiger-Cats — 7:30 p.m. EDT
Cody Fajardo is expected to return to the lineup after being pulled off the six-game injured list early, missing only one game with a hamstring problem. The Tiger-Cats are riding a two-game winning streak after pasting the Elks at Commonwealth Stadium last week, while the Alouettes pulled off an impressive comeback win over Saskatchewan as Davis Alexander threw two touchdown passes after taking over the controls for the second half. This matchup marks the first of back-to-back games between the two squads.
ABBOTT: Hamilton is improving but not enough to get over the Alouettes, regardless of who’s at quarterback.
Straight-up: Montreal. Against the spread: Hamilton.
BALLANTINE: Montreal was good enough to beat Saskatchewan without Cody Fajardo, so I think they’ll do the same again here.
Straight-up: Montreal. Against the spread: Montreal.
DURRELL: Hamilton has some good mojo back but Montreal and its defence are too good.
Straight-up: Montreal. Against the spread: Montreal.
FILOSO: Week after week, the Alouettes keep proving that they’re hungry, motivated and relentless regardless of who’s out with injury.
Straight-up: Montreal. Against the spread: Montreal.
GASSON: Hamilton has taken some steps forward but Montreal is still better.
Straight-up: Montreal. Against the spread: Montreal.
GRANT: Hamilton has played well for two straight weeks but going from playing Edmonton to playing Montreal will be a wakeup call.
Straight-up: Montreal. Against the spread: Montreal.
HERRERA-VERGARA: After beating Saskatchewan, the Alouettes should beat the Tiger-Cats no matter if Cody Fajardo or Davis Alexander starts.
Straight-up: Montreal. Against the spread: Montreal.
HODGE: Throwing touchdown passes against the Elks is one thing. Throwing them against the Alouettes is another.
Straight-up: Montreal. Against the spread: Montreal.
HOSKINS: Montreal is the team that finds ways to win.
Straight-up: Montreal. Against the spread: Montreal.
KLEIN: The Alouettes are just a more complete football team — regardless of who their quarterback is.
Straight-up: Montreal. Against the spread: Montreal.
TOTALS STRAIGHT-UP: Montreal 10, Hamilton 0.
TOTALS AGAINST THE SPREAD: Montreal 9, Hamilton 1.
Saturday, Aug. 3: Edmonton Elks at Saskatchewan Roughriders — 7:00 p.m. EDT
Former first-round CFL draft pick Tre Ford will make his first start of the season for Edmonton after putting up three touchdown passes in the final 10 minutes of last week’s loss to Hamilton. The Canadian passer led the Elks to a 36-27 win over the Roughriders last season and will look to do the same this week as his team is still searching for its first victory of the season. Saskatchewan is expected to be without Trevor Harris again this week with Shea Patterson making his fifth straight start. The team is 2-2 with the young passer at the helm so far this season.
ABBOTT: The Riders are the better team but they’re due a letdown on defence. They won’t be able to handle Tre Ford for 60 minutes.
Straight-up: Edmonton. Against the spread: Edmonton.
BALLANTINE: Stop! Stop! They’re already dead! Tre Ford makes Edmonton better but the team’s defence remains a problem.
Straight-up: Saskatchewan. Against the spread: Saskatchewan.
DURRELL: Tre Ford will bring some positive energy to the winless Elks but the Riders will still overpower them.
Straight-up: Saskatchewan. Against the spread: Saskatchewan.
FILOSO: I’m all aboard the Tre Ford hype train. For the second year in a row, the Canadian pivot will make his coaching staff look silly for keeping him on the bench for so long.
Straight-up: Edmonton. Against the spread: Edmonton.
GASSON: This could be a wild game and the Riders have a history in these situations.
Straight-up: Saskatchewan. Against the spread: Edmonton.
GRANT: This game will be close and exciting but the Riders are too good defensively for even Tre Ford to get the Elks in the win column.
Straight-up: Saskatchewan. Against the spread: Edmonton.
HERRERA-VERGARA: The Elks should have more energy but it still won’t be enough.
Straight-up: Saskatchewan. Against the spread: Saskatchewan.
HODGE: Tre Ford provides a spark to keep this one close.
Straight-up: Saskatchewan. Against the spread: Edmonton.
HOSKINS: Tre Ford makes it exciting but can’t fix the rest of the Elks.
Straight-up: Saskatchewan. Against the spread: Saskatchewan.
KLEIN: The Elks will be better with Tre Ford but they’re still not as good as Saskatchewan.
Straight-up: Saskatchewan. Against the spread: Saskatchewan.
TOTALS STRAIGHT-UP: Saskatchewan 8, Edmonton 2.
TOTALS AGAINST THE SPREAD: Saskatchewan 5, Edmonton 5.
Sunday, Aug. 4: Toronto Argonauts at Calgary Stampeders — 7:00 p.m. EDT
The Stampeders are looking to get back on track at home following a disastrous performance against Ottawa during which the team managed only six points and Jake Maier was pulled in favour of second-year quarterback Logan Bonner. The Argonauts have had quarterback problems of their own lately as Cameron Dukes and Nick Arbuckle combined for only 134 passing yards against Winnipeg, relying on their defence to get the win in overtime.
ABBOTT: A fired-up Ka’Deem Carey and the unblockable Jake Ceresna will be too much for Calgary.
Straight-up: Toronto. Against the spread: Toronto.
BALLANTINE: The Stampeders are undefeated at home and Toronto is struggling.
Straight-up: Calgary. Against the spread: Calgary.
DURRELL: The Stampeders have looked like a different team at home, which will provide enough of a boost to push them past Toronto.
Straight-up: Calgary. Against the spread: Calgary.
FILOSO: Calgary has been excellent at home but I don’t love Jake Maier’s odds against an opportunistic Argos defence.
Straight-up: Toronto. Against the spread: Toronto.
GASSON: I like Toronto’s defence to make life difficult for Jake Maier.
Straight-up: Toronto. Against the spread: Toronto.
GRANT: I expect a tight game but Toronto just doesn’t play well in Calgary. I don’t think anyone wants to play the Stampeders this week after they stunk out the joint in Ottawa.
Straight-up: Calgary. Against the spread: Toronto.
HERRERA-VERGARA: It’s hard to predict the outcome of this one. Both teams didn’t play well last week, but Calgary has more to prove.
Straight-up: Calgary. Against the spread: Toronto.
HODGE: It’s hard to trust either of these teams after last week. May as well take the points.
Straight-up: Toronto. Against the spread: Toronto.
HOSKINS: The Argos still have the better defence, which makes the difference.
Straight-up: Toronto. Against the spread: Toronto.
KLEIN: I don’t trust Calgary’s offence or defence. I don’t trust Toronto’s offence but I do trust their defence. So, by default, I’m with the Boatmen.
Straight-up: Toronto. Against the spread: Toronto.
TOTALS STRAIGHT-UP: Toronto 6, Calgary 4.
TOTALS AGAINST THE SPREAD: Toronto 8, Calgary 2.
Records to date (straight-up)
FILOSO — 21-11
GASSON — 21-11
GRANT — 21-11
ABBOTT — 20-12
HERRERA-VERGARA — 20-12
KLEIN — 19-13
HODGE — 18-14
DURRELL — 17-15
HOSKINS — 17-15
BALLANTINE — 16-16
Records to date (against the spread)
FILOSO — 20-12
GRANT — 19-13
GASSON — 17-15
HERRERA-VERGARA — 17-15
DURRELL — 16-16
HODGE — 16-16
KLEIN — 14-18
BALLANTINE — 13-19
HOSKINS — 13-19
ABBOTT — 11-21
