3DownNation CFL power rankings: Saskatchewan Roughriders’ loss instills confidence before playoffs

Photo courtesy: Saskatchewan Roughriders

Week 21 of the 2025 CFL season is officially in the books, and the playoff matchups are finally set.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will travel to face the Montreal Alouettes in the East Semi-Final, while the B.C. Lions will play host to the Calgary Stampeders in the West Semi-Final. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Saskatchewan Roughriders await the winners of both matchups.

3DownNation’s power rankings are created by having 10 contributors rank each team from No. 1 to No. 9 independently, then averaging out the scores. The previous week’s rankings are in brackets. As rankings in the playoffs are somewhat self-explanatory, this will be our final edition until after the Grey Cup is awarded.

Enjoy the rankings and feel free to roast us on social media for anything you think we got wrong.

1) B.C. Lions (1)

Another sensational performance from Nathan Rourke earned the Lions the home playoff game that Amar Doman deserves, but the rest of the game provided plenty of cause for concern. B.C. was manhandled by Saskatchewan’s starting unit, then pushed to the brink by their backups. If not for an egregious inadvertent whistle on a 117-yard Tevaughn Campbell scoop-and-score, they might be headed out East as the crossover team.

2) Montreal Alouettes (2)

The Alouettes did an abrupt about-face ahead of their final contest, backtracking on their insistence that Davis Alexander would play and starting McLeod Bethel-Thompson instead. Predictably, that resulted in offensive challenges and a boring end to their winning streak, but anything that happens without their undefeated franchise quarterback doesn’t really count. What does count is the handful of impactful injuries they may have suffered in the loss against their eventual playoff opponent.

3) Saskatchewan Roughriders (4)

The Riders enter their first-round bye on a two-game losing streak, but those tight losses against playoff teams while cycling through every player on the roster are more impressive than most victories. Most promising was the fact that Trevor Harris led three scoring drives and threw just one incompletion before sitting down early in the second quarter. On this occasion, the watermelon-clad faithful are actually correct when they say the referees blew the game for them — literally.

4) Hamilton Tiger-Cats (5)

The Ticats made good on their final opportunity to clinch first place in the East Division, making easy work of Ottawa in the process. Tim White caught a pair of touchdowns, and Bo Levi Mitchell set a new career-high with 36 passing majors, but the defence was the true star. Braxton Hill and DaShaun Amos both snagged a pair of interceptions as part of a six-pick evening.

5) Calgary Stampeders (3)

What did the Stampeders do to deserve a two-spot drop in the ranking? Frankly, nothing, but their road to the Grey Cup got a lot harder once they missed out on a home playoff game. Still, they successfully notched a win over their provincial rivals, thanks in part to a brilliant punch out by Bailey Devine-Scott at the goal line and a controversial recovery by Jacob Roberts.

6) Winnipeg Blue Bombers (6)

The Bombers rested a bevy of starters and still got the win against a similarly depleted Montreal squad, but it wasn’t enough to save them from their crossover fate. It may have also cost them their backup quarterback, as Chris Streveler went down early with a serious-looking knee injury. Terry Wilson took over from there, but needed just 79 yards to secure victory.

7) Edmonton Elks (7)

The Elks continued to fight in a meaningless regular-season finale, but failed to pick up a loose ball in the end zone and came up short as a result. The focus now shifts to the future, as Edmonton looks to lock up the franchise quarterback of their choosing in Cody Fajardo. That almost certainly spells the end of the line for Tre Ford, whose uncertain future and potential change of scenery will be the talk of the offseason.

8) Toronto Argonauts (8)

The offseason is already in full swing for the Argonauts, who wrapped up their 18-game schedule in Week 20. The first non-playoff campaign in the Ryan Dinwiddie era was marred by injuries and lack of depth, but at least they can be confident in the quarterback situation moving forward, with Chad Kelly expected to return next year and Nick Arbuckle still under contract. Other key pieces will need to be re-signed, including the likes of Wynton McManis.

9) Ottawa Redblacks (9)

Ottawa’s abysmal 2025 season didn’t get an uplifting ending. Tyrie Adams was denied a chance at further development after two first-half interceptions, Matthew Shiltz rewarded the franchise with four more in the second half after they inexplicably gave him a last hurrah, and head coach Bob Dyce was officially fired once it was all over. Is it any wonder that some players have a hard time looking fans in the eye?