Riders get what Corey Mace wanted, but beware the Lions at BC Place (& other thoughts)

Photo: Tanner Piper/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders beat the Edmonton Elks 16-9 to finish the 2026 regular season 10-8.

Head coach Corey Mace wanted to stay in the West Division for the Canadian Football League playoffs, and his team made it happen. The Green and White will travel to Vancouver to take on the Lions in the West Semi-Final on Saturday, October 31, at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Blown away

Any analysis for the Week 21 match-up at Mosaic Stadium needs to include the wind as proper context. Strong northwest gusts up to 90 kilometres per hour were wreaking havoc in Regina throughout the game.

Case in point, Brett Lauther’s 32-yard extra point attempt in the second quarter looked like it was going to split the uprights, kicking towards the closed end of the field, but ended up being pushed wide left by the wind.

Three quarterbacks, Jack Coan, Taylor Powell, and Brayden Schager, had to throw in the gusty conditions, which added another element to evaluations.

“It was tough,” Coan said when asked post-game about throwing in the strong winds. “Pre-game I feel like I was throwing it pretty well, but it was hard. There was definitely a few balls I feel like got affected. Adjusted well as the game went on, but it was definitely a challenge.”

Decent if unspectacular

After three years in Marc Mueller’s offensive system, Coan made his first CFL start on Saturday.

He completed 15-of-26 passes for 178 yards with one interception, but it happened as the 27-year-old was hit; the ball was tipped and picked. The six-foot-three, 218-pound QB played solid football. However, his touchdown drives were helped out by the defence forcing a turnover on downs and some ticky-tack penalty flags thrown against Edmonton.

“Under those elements, I thought he did really well for us,” Mace said post-game.

Coan earned an extra $2,000 for playing 51 percent or more of the offensive snaps. That takes his earnings to $93,000 for the season.

Schager entered the game with around 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter and finished three-of-six for 27 yards. He looked comfortable completing his first pass attempt to Mathew Sexton, but held the ball too long and could not escape the rush while scrambling to his left. The 24-year-old CFL rookie missed Daniel Wiebe wide open in the end zone as his pass fell short for what could have been a touchdown.

Touchdown Tommy

Tommy Stevens scored two rushing touchdowns to pass the legendary George Reed and set the single-season franchise record with 17. Reed rushed for 16 touchdowns in 1968 in 16 games. Stevens also set the single-season mark for touchdowns scored by a quarterback in CFL history.

Stevens scored most of his touchdowns via quarterback sneaks in short-yardage situations. He’s been a key closer to drives for the Riders. The six-foot-four, 245-pound QB earned $200 for each rushing touchdown in 2026, giving him an extra $3,400. That leaves him with extra money after he buys the offensive linemen a dozen doughnuts for each TD scored.

Defensive dominance 

Joshua Bell’s unit has been criticized by Rider Nation fans at times, but his group played well versus the Elks, albeit with many backups on the field for Edmonton.

After a 38-yard kickoff return by Javon Leake, the double E took advantage and scored a touchdown on the opening drive, but there were no more points allowed. Saskatchewan recorded six sacks, forced three fumbles, recovered two, and turned the ball over on downs twice.

Bell’s defence finished second in the CFL with 41 sacks; the Toronto Argonauts had the most with 44 in 18 regular season games. James Vaughters, who did not suit up on Saturday, led the team with seven sacks. The underrated Caleb Sanders was behind him with six, while Mike Rose notched five.

That performance was needed by the Roughriders to carry confidence into a difficult post-season match-up with Nathan Rourke and the Lions on a fast track at BC Place.

Action Jackson

Deon Jackson seems to be about that CFL action.

The 27-year-old running back signed with the Riders in September and over a month later earned his first career CFL start. Jackson carried the football nine times for 44 yards, including a 23-yarder, and flashed potential for the future.

Jackson has 4.42 speed and burst to go with it, evidenced by his Duke University pro day testing results. He earned over $1.7 million USD while in the NFL playing for the Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns and New York Giants. The six-foot, 218-pound back carried the football 95 times for 283 yards and scored two touchdowns, plus caught 35 passes for 223 yards with one receiving score.

Keep Jackson’s name in mind for future possibilities at the position on the prairies.

Be careful what you wish for

Mace wanted to stay in the West for the postseason, but taking on a revenge-minded Lions squad will be a difficult task.

Saskatchewan travelled to BC Place twice during the 2026 regular season and lost each time in decisive fashion. Rourke sliced the secondary and made it look easy in those two meetings.

Week 12: 30-16, Rourke 22-of-28 for 355, two touchdowns, one interception, one carry for 19 yards.

Week 17: 31-24, Rourke 22-of-28 for 375, four touchdowns, three carries for 37 yards.

The 2025 CFL MOP wants it to be B.C.’s time — badly.

“Last year in the West Final… I know they’ve been saying they wanted their get back, so here’s there opportunity,” Canadian cornerback Tevaughn Campbell said post-game.

For the Riders to win, Rourke’s playmaking skills must be somewhat neutralized, and Trevor Harris needs to be able to go shot for shot.