REGINA -- Saskatchewan Roughriders (5-2) host Calgary Stampeders (3-5), kicking off at 5 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium.
THE SETUP
The Roughriders will try to avenge last week’s 23-17 loss to the Calgary Stampeders, at Mosaic Stadium on Saturday night. The Stampeders are the lone team Cody Fajardo has yet to beat in his career suffering three losses in three attempts. He’s not alone, his head coach, Craig Dickenson hasn’t beaten them either.
“My dad reminded me just the other day, he said, you know, you going to beat him one of these days? I said hey we’re going to try! My mom, you know how moms are, she said as long as you try hard that’s all that matters” Craig Dickenson said earlier this week.
The message from the head coach is to start fast and play disciplined. The Riders gave up 14 points early in last week’s match-up against Calgary. Dickenson pointed to two or three penalties that extended drives for the Stamps and hurt the team.
Bo Levi Mitchell has had incredible success against the Riders – sporting a 3-1 record at new Mosaic Stadium – so it’s important the defence gets to him early and often. Cody Fajardo is looking to turn things around after last week’s disappointing failed comeback bid
GAME DAY FORECAST
You can expect 17 degrees at kickoff with winds out of the southeast at 10 kilometers per hour. Sun sets at 6:21 p.m., so it will cool off around halftime at 13 degrees and in the 4th quarter it will drop down to around 11 degrees. Dress accordingly.
Check out the CTV News Regina Riders’ Game Day Forecast for up to date weather information.
THE LINE-UP
Wide receiver Justin McInnis replaces Mitchell Picton in the lineup.
2019 first round draft pick Justin McInnis will have his family in the stands when he takes the field for the first time in a very long time.
“Perfect timing. You know, great reason to be thankful for something, to get the start at Mosaic Stadium” McInnis said.
He was injured early in training camp but the team has felt he’s been at 100 percent for a while, he’s earned his chance to play and he’ll get it. McInnis’ wife and two year old will be in the stands on Saturday night.
Picton was placed on the one game injured list after being nicked up in last week’s contest.
VIEW FROM THE OTHER SIDE
Josh Huff draws back into the line-up and will start at the wide receiver position. Through seven games, the Houston, TX product has 31 catches for 422 yards. He’s a reliable target and playmaker for Bo-Levi Mitchell.
And yes, Bo is listed as the Stamps starter in this one. Huff enters the contest needing just 87 receiving yards for 1,000 on his career.
GET ME THAT STAT!
RIDERS - 8-2: The Roughriders have won eight of the last ten games after suffering a loss, dating back to August of 2018. They did lose two in a row earlier this year.
STAMPS - 3: Stamps Quarterback Bo-Levi Mitchell is number three all time at winning on the road in Regina since 1950. He’s 10-3 overall against the Stamps, 4-1 in Regina.
50: The Riders and Stamps have 50 players heading into week 10 of the Canadian Football League season in their first year in the league, according to the Stampeders Media team.
THE WALKING WOUNDED
Wide receiver Mitchell Picton was added to the one game injured list. Coach Dickenson called it a maintenance week after being banged up last week. The name most Rider fans are watching is Shaq Evans. He was spotted at practice last week catching balls from the ball machine and doing some light jogging. There is no exact timetable available for when he might return.
THE APOLOGY
Cody Fajardo apologized to his team mates this week, for comments he made after last week’s game in which he placed blame on his receivers for the team’s struggles.
“They let me know that it affected them, they were hurt by it, but they will forgive me for it, and I want to gain their trust back and I know it’s not going to happen overnight”
“It was a much needed apology. I think Cody said some things that, you know, he regretted and he owned it” offensive coordinator Jason Maas later said.
We’ll see if quarterback Cody Fajardo can get on the same page as his offensive coordinator and his receiving core this week.
HALF TIME HEROES
The Riders welcomed new members into the Plaza of Honour Thursday night and will be honoured on field at half-time.
Andy Fantuz was drafted by the Riders in 2006. The Chatham, ON product appeared in 77 games for the Green and White catching 289 passes for 4,311 yards and 23 touchdowns. He quickly became a fan favourite before leaving the team to pursue an NFL opportunity with the Chicago Bears. He’d finish his career with the Hamilton Tiger Cats pushing his career totals to 148 games played, 637 catches, 8,363 yards, and 44 touchdowns.
Chris Getzlaf was born and raised in Regina but started his career with the Hamilton Tiger-cats suiting up for just two games. The next year (2008) he joined the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Over his eight years pulling on his hometown team’s jersey, he appeared in 121 games, amassing 368 catches for 5,694 yards and 38 touchdowns. He finished his career with the Edmonton Eskimos, retiring in 2017.
Both Fantuz and Getzlaf were members of the famed “Canadian Air Force” receiving core which also included Jason Claremont and Robb Bagg.
Harvard Media owner Paul Hill was induced into the builder category of the Plaza.
Gabe Patterson enters the Plaza posthumously.
Patterson was a halfback and kicker who was signed by the Montreal Alouettes in 1947 before being released and signed by the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Patterson played just two seasons and was named an all-star both years. He was the first African-American to play for the Roughriders breaking the colour barrier. He went on to play pro ball for the New York Black Yankees and Philadelphia Stars in the Negro League.
