Calgary Stampeders complete perfect preseason with win over Elks (& eight other thoughts)

Photo courtesy: Edmonton Elks

The Calgary Stampeders played in both the first and last games of the 2026 CFL preseason slate. In both games, they held their opponents to 18 or fewer points, had several explosive plays on offence and most importantly, won. That should encourage fans who saw their team make great strides in 2025 and are hoping to continue that growth as the host city for Grey Cup 2026 in November.

Here’s what I saw while streaming the game on CFL+.

Love likely retains

Josh Love started the game at quarterback for Calgary and had a much more productive outing than his last appearance, which raised some questions about who might win the backup job that was suddenly created with the retirement of P.J. Walker.

Love went seven-for-eight for 80 yards, including a magnificent 42-yard touchdown pass to Dante Wright, who had created separation from Elks’ cornerback Tyrell Ford before walking into the endzone.

Given Love’s status as the lone member of the backup battle to have been in the system previously, I’d expect him to be in the number two slot when the season starts. That isn’t to say he wasn’t pushed, as all three quarterbacks led touchdown drives.

Criswell Ja-bowls them over

Entering the game as the third-string QB, Jacolby Criswell looked like the kind of raw talent that could do well in a development role.

Throwing just four passes, but completing three, Criswell looked steady. His best pass was a 15-yard completion as part of an 11-play drive that saw Criswell essentially split carries with Ludovick Choquette, chewing up yards on the ground on their way to a touchdown. The best of these was a near-matching pair of 18 and 19 yards, the second setting up a touchdown plunge from the one.

Criswell, who was signed just before camp started, is a big body at six-foot-one and 263 pounds, listed heavier than any non-lineman on the roster and surpassing even several of the defensive linemen.

Up and down for Ben Wooldridge

Before the game started, Ben Wooldridge was singled out by the Calgary Stampeders’ social media accounts as “the player to watch.”

Wooldridge had flashes, including a 12-play touchdown drive where the QB took the ball in himself from the one-yard line after throwing a pass that drew an interference penalty in the endzone. But after the success of Criswell’s outing, Wooldridge was put back into the game in the fourth quarter and was promptly sacked twice for a quick two-and-out, forcing a punt.

When rewinding the feed to watch the play again, it looked as though Wooldridge had almost five full seconds in the pocket before he was taken down, a luxury not often awarded. He finished the game five of nine for 58 yards through the air.

What complicates things

For most of the season in 2025, the Stampeders listed Quincy Vaughn at quarterback and utilized him as the short-yardage specialist, where he scored six rushing touchdowns. If the Stampeders plan on using Vaughn, a 2025 CFL draft pick who played tight end in college, in a similar way this season, that makes for a very crowded QB room.

Vaughn could further embrace a fullback-type role with the retirement of William Langlais in the offseason. That does come with some risk, as there were games last season when the Stamps elected to bring in another receiver rather than starting a fullback.

If Vaughn can’t find a home there, given the size similarities of Criswell and his positive performance, the Stampeders may elect to go another way.

Now for the non-QBs on offence!

In what was a typical preseason stat line, eleven players were targeted in the passing game.

Still, given that the Stampeders left Erik Brooks, Jalen Philpot, Clark Barnes, and Dejon Brissett off the roster, and Reggie Begelton is still injured, the opportunities in the receiving corps are pretty thin.

Of those that made the trip, Rashod Owens got the most looks, catching four of five targets for a total of 59 yards, including 19 after the catch. Worth a second mention was Dante Wright, who caught the only TD of the day.

In the backfield, it was another bowling ball bursting to the front of the line as Terion Stewart, listed at five-foot-seven and 232 pounds, took his five carries for 22 yards and caught his only target.

Hello from the other side

A few defensive highlights were also added to the reel, including a pass break-up on third down by Anthony Johnson, who ended the Elks’ first drive at the Calgary five-yard line — the only turnover in the game.

Tre’Mon Morris-Brash and Brandon Maina were able to get to the Elks’ quarterbacks, each coming home with a sack.

Who needs to practice returns anyway?

After a one-hour weather delay due to lightning in the area, the wind stuck around and wreaked havoc on the Stampeders’ hopes of seeing what any of the many candidates to become the primary returner could do.

The one kickoff that fell into the hands of rookie defensive lineman Tristan Marois, and the only returnable punt went for six yards. It will have to be practice film that makes the decision about who will end up fielding kicks when the regular season starts.

The Stampeders do have Tyreik McAllister on the roster,  who recently returned to Canada after a stint with the Las Vegas Raiders. He had over 1,000 yards in CFL kickoff returns in 2023 before trying his hand south of the border.

That’s all, folks!

With the 2026 preseason in the books, the Stampeders’ football ops team now needs to sit down and make the final decisions about who will be leaving the team as part of final cuts.

“It’s hard,” head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson acknowledged post-game. “We are going to sit down and evaluate everyone fairly. We think we have enough practice and film work to at least feel confident in our decisions, but you’re not always right.”

Dickenson remembers one specific mistake very well.

“It’s not the end of the road if you do get cut. Charleston Hughes was released, and two games later, he came back and got 136 sacks in the CFL.”

Up Next

The Stampeders will face a stiff test in their home opener as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers come to town on Friday, June 5, at 9:00 p.m. EDT.