Taylor Shire

The Saskatchewan Roughriders have clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2021.

Saskatchewan can clinch a home playoff game with a win over the B.C. Lions on Saturday

Advertisement 1 Share this Story : A.J. Ouellette could return as Roughriders get set to host Lions A.J. Ouellette could return as Roughriders get set to host Lions Saskatchewan can clinch a home playoff game with a win over the B.C. Lions on Saturday Author of the article: Article content Running back A.J. Ouellette was back working with the starting offence as the Saskatchewan Roughriders returned to practice on Tuesday. Advertisement 2 Article content A.J. Ouellette could return as Roughriders get set to host Lions Back to video “Felt good, felt smooth, felt like I never left,” said Ouellette, who has missed the last six games with a hip injury. This season, the 29-year-old Ouellette — who was one of Saskatchewan's prized free agent signings this off-season — has been limited to seven games. In his absence, Frankie Hickson made seven starts for the Riders with the other two going to Ryquell Armstead. Thomas Bertrand-Hudon has also gotten carries as the primary backup. “We've got dogs,” said Ouellette, who has racked up 466 rushing yards this season in seven starts. “It sucks that there's only one running back on the field at a time. “It doesn't matter who is out there, they're going to get the job done.” With the Riders set to host the B.C. Lions at Mosaic Stadium on Saturday (5 p.m., TSN) in Week 19 of the CFL season, there's a chance Ouellette could make his return to the lineup. Advertisement 3 Article content “I'm going to do what they ask me to do,” he said. While Hickson started Saskatchewan's game on Saturday against the Edmonton Elks — a 28-24 win which clinched a playoff spot for the Green and White — the Riders also have Armstead, who had a 207-yard performance in Week 16 before going down with a shoulder injury the following week. Armstead returned to practice Tuesday and while Ouellette got most of the first-team carries during the workout, head coach Corey Mace didn't reveal who will draw the start Saturday. “We'll see,” said Mace. “It's at that point in the season now we're getting some guys back and it's a good problem to have when you have options and good ones. “We'll see how the week of practice plays out and we'll make a decision at the end of it.” Advertisement 4 Article content This week, there's plenty on the line for Saskatchewan as the Riders (8-7-1) can clinch a home playoff game if they can get by the Lions (8-8). However, a Lions win would mean B.C. would jump ahead of Saskatchewan in the standings for second place in the West Division. While Saskatchewan hasn't been to the playoffs since 2021, Ouellette — who won a Grey Cup in 2022 with the Toronto Argonauts — knows a thing or two about playoff football. “We're getting to the backend of the season, so mistakes aren't acceptable anymore,” said Ouellette, who had 1,009 rushing yards last year as a member of the Argos. “We've just got to lock in and I think the team knows that there's no more mistakes.” For Ouellette, the two-time CFL East Division all-star is just eager to get back into the lineup as the postseason nears. Advertisement 5 Article content “It's playoff energy and running backs feed off of that,” said the 5-foot-9, 210-pounder. “And when the chill is in the air, it just hurts a little bit more to tackle someone. “We take pride in playoff football and this team … is built on backend of the season when it gets cold, so it's going to be fun.” Injury report The Roughriders had a few offensive linemen return to practice from the injured list this week. After missing the game against Ottawa with a knee injury, Jacob Brammer (knee) returned to practice at right guard. Centre Peter Godber (ankle) and guard Zack Fry (elbow) also returned to practice from the six-game injured list after missing the last four games. “It's been rough on the injury front at that position,” said Mace. “But again, it's that time of year where these guys are starting to come around and similar to the running back situation, we're going to have options here. Advertisement 6 Article content “We'll always pick and choose what we feel is best for the team. “But to have everybody out there and getting back into the groove here, it's really nice to see.” “For Shawn, the guy he is and the energy he brings, you just love that he is still out here,” said Mace. “He's still part of this team and that was important in our conversation to make sure that he is still around.” The Regina Leader-Post has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox so you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe. With some online platforms blocking access to the journalism upon which you depend, our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark leaderpost.com and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. Click here to subscribe. Article content Share this article in your social network Share this Story : A.J. Ouellette could return as Roughriders get set to host Lions Comments Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. Latest National Stories News Near Elliot Lake Featured Local Savings

Saskatchewan can clinch home playoff game with win over B.C. on Saturday Article content Running back A.J.

Article content A dominant performance by the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday night ensured there will be playoff football at Mosaic Stadium.

Advertisement 1 Share this Story : Roughriders secure home playoff game with 39-8 win over Lions Roughriders secure home playoff game with 39-8 win over Lions Saskatchewan is now just one point back of Winnipeg for top spot in the West Division with one game left in the CFL season Author of the article: Article content A dominant performance by the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday night ensured there will be playoff football at Mosaic Stadium. Advertisement 2 Article content Roughriders secure home playoff game with 39-8 win over Lions Back to video With a 39-8 win over the B.C. Lions in front of 28,683 fans on Saturday night in Regina in Week 19 of the CFL season, the Roughriders ensured at least a second-place finish in the CFL's West Division as the Green and White improved to 9-7-1 while B.C. dropped to 8-9. With one game remaining, the Riders are now just one point behind the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (10-7) for the top spot in the division. With Winnipeg and Saskatchewan on a bye next week, first place will be decided in the final week of the season as the Riders take on the Calgary Stampeders on Oct. 26 while the Bombers take on the Montreal Alouettes earlier that day. If Winnipeg wins, the Bombers will host the West Final on Nov. 9 while Saskatchewan will take on the Lions in the semifinal on Nov. 2. However, if the Bombers lose and the Riders win, the West Final will be at Mosaic Stadium while the Bombers will host the Lions one week earlier. Advertisement 3 Article content Saturday night's game started with quite a bounce that went in Saskatchewan's favour, which was the first of six turnovers forced by the Green and White. On the Lions opening drive of the game, B.C.'s William Stanback bobbled a pass that deflected off his foot, off a pair of Rider defenders and into the hands of linebacker A.J. Allen, who returned it 48 yards for the touchdown to open the scoring. Saskatchewan's defence appeared to force another turnover on B.C.'s second series of the game as defensive back Deontai Williams intercepted Nathan Rourke however the CFL Command Centre stepped in to rule the pass as incomplete. After the Lions punted the ball into Saskatchewan's end zone for the rouge, Riders' quarterback Trevor Harris generated a pair of first downs before Brett Lauther kicked a 45-yard field goal to put Saskatchewan up 10-1 just 6:32 in. Advertisement 4 Article content On Saskatchewan's next series, Lauther nailed a 53-yard field goal before the Lions responded with a 11-play, 70-yard drive capped off by fullback David Mackie plunging into the end zone from two yards out to make it 13-8. After a pair of first-down passes to Samuel Emilus, which put the receiver over the 1,000-yard mark on the season, Harris connected with KeeSean Johnson and Jerreth Sterns for two more first downs to get to B.C.'s four-yard line. However, after back-to-back incompletions the Riders settled for a field goal as Lauther made his third of the night to put Saskatchewan up 16-8. As the Lions looked to respond, B.C. got down to Saskatchewan's 19-yard line before the Riders defence forced a turnover on downs after a failed third-down gamble. Advertisement 5 Article content After the Riders punted the ball away, Saskatchewan's offence got the ball right back as safety Nelson Lokombo hit Lions' receiver Justin McInnis, who fumbled the ball which was scooped up by linebacker C.J. Reavis. Harris then found Emilus for a 37-yard gain before connecting with Sterns for a six-yard touchdown pass to put the Riders up 23-8 with 21 seconds to go in the first half. Instead of letting the clock run out, the Lions decided to try and make something happen with 16 seconds left in the half, however Rourke was picked off by Riders' linebacker C.J. Avery, who returned it 40 yards to the B.C. 10-yard line. With just three seconds left in the half, Lauther kicked an 18-yard field goal to put Saskatchewan up 26-8 at the break. Advertisement 6 Article content After a failed onside kick-off attempt to begin the second half by B.C., the Riders started with the ball on the Lions side of the field. Following a 23-yard run by A.J. Ouellette, who was making his return to the lineup after a six-game absence, Harris took a sack before throwing an incompletion, leading to Lauther kicking his fifth field goal of the night to make it 29-8. After a punt by the Lions, the Riders put together another scoring drive, capped off by Harris finding Kian Schaffer-Baker for an eight-yard touchdown pass to put Saskatchewan up 36-8. As B.C. looked to get back into the game, the Lions turned the ball over on downs after another failed third-down gamble on Saskatchewan's 17-yard line. The Riders turned that into another three points as Lauther connected from 43 yards out to make it 39-8 early in the fourth quarter. Advertisement 7 Article content From there, the Lions turned to third-string quarterback Chase Brice on their next drive while Riders' backup Shea Patterson entered the game for Saskatchewan. More to come… The Regina Leader-Post has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox so you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe. With some online platforms blocking access to the journalism upon which you depend, our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark leaderpost.com and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. Click here to subscribe. Article content Share this article in your social network Share this Story : Roughriders secure home playoff game with 39-8 win over Lions Comments Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. Latest National Stories News Near Elliot Lake Featured Local Savings

The Canadian receiver eclipsed the milestone in Saskatchewan's Week 19 game against the B.C. Lions on Saturday

Advertisement 1 Share this Story : Roughriders' Samuel Emilus eclipses 1,000-yard milestone for second straight year Roughriders' Samuel Emilus eclipses 1,000-yard milestone for second straight year The Canadian receiver eclipsed the milestone in Saskatchewan's Week 19 game against the B.C. Lions on Saturday Author of the article: Article content Samuel Emilus has emulated his breakout performance. Advertisement 2 Article content Roughriders' Samuel Emilus eclipses 1,000-yard milestone for second straight year Back to video After reaching the 1000-yard milestone in 2023 as a second-year member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the 26-year-old Canadian receiver achieved the feat in back-to-back years on Saturday against the B.C. Lions. Needing 30 yards to hit the mark, Emilus put together a six-catch, 94-yard effort helping the Green and White beat the Lions 39-8 in Week 19 of the CFL season. “It's a good milestone to accomplish,” Emilus said after the game. “I couldn't do it without the guys in this room; shout-out to the O-line; shout-out to my quarterbacks; shout-out to the receiving group. “It's a milestone individually but it goes to everybody else too.” Through 17 games, the 6-foot-1, 200-pound Montreal product — who was Saskatchewan's first-round draft choice in the 2022 CFL Draft — now has 1,064 receiving yards on 87 receptions with five touchdowns. Advertisement 3 Article content With one game to go, Emilus leads all CFL receivers with 132 targets and is second in receptions while his yardage total ranks fourth in the league. He also leads all receivers in the league with 439 yards after the catch. Last year, Emilus needed all 18 games to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark as he managed to accomplish the feat with a 137-yard performance against the Toronto Argonauts, giving him 1,097 yards on the season before being named the team's most outstanding Canadian. This year, he can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that there won't be any extra pressure to hit the 1,000-yard mark when the Riders — who are currently on a bye week — conclude the 2024 regular season against the Calgary Stampeders on Oct. 26. “I was like 30 yards short, so I knew that the chance to get it was pretty high with two games left,” said Emilus. “But really during the game, that's the last thing that was on my mind. Advertisement 4 Article content “I just wanted to make some plays to help the team win.” After leading the team with 126 receiving yards including a career-long 88-yard catch against the Edmonton Elks, Emilus helped Saskatchewan officially secure a spot in the playoffs in Week 18. Leading the team in receiving for a second straight week against the Lions on Saturday, Emilus aided in Saskatchewan officially clinch a home playoff game with a victory over B.C. And for Emilus, the upcoming playoffs will be the first taste of the postseason in his young CFL career, as he was one year away from being drafted the last time the team was in the playoffs in 2021. “The fans deserve it,” said Emilus, who is signed with Saskatchewan through 2025 . “It's a great accomplishment. Advertisement 5 Article content “First time in three years that I've made the playoffs in the CFL, so it was about time; I'm so happy.” Now what's still to be determined is which playoff game will be played at Mosaic Stadium. If the Winnipeg Blue Bombers lose to the Montreal Alouettes on Oct. 26 and the Riders beat the Stampeders later that day, Saskatchewan will host the West Final on Nov. 9. If the Bombers beat the Alouettes, Saskatchewan's game against Calgary won't mean anything in the standings and the Riders will host the Lions on Nov. 2 in the West Division semifinal. For Emilus, he's approaching the week like any other. “We can control what we can control and that's going against Calgary and winning,” he said. “We're going to let the chips fall and we're going to go from there. Advertisement 6 Article content “I'm never going to root for anybody else other than the Roughriders.” In the meantime, the Riders will enjoy the bye week this week before facing the Stampeders and then figuring out which opponent they will be seeing in the postseason. “It's the perfect timing,” Emilus said of the current break . “Bye week right before our last game so we're going to be able to gear up right before the playoffs.” Riders release six The Roughriders announced the release of six American players from the expanded practice roster on Sunday. Quarterback Michael Hiers, linebacker Braxton Hill, defensive back Robert Javier, receiver Tre Mosley, running back SaRodorick Thompson Jr. and defensive lineman Zion Tupuola-Fetui have all been let go. None of the six suited up in a game for Saskatchewan this season. Advertisement 7 Article content The Regina Leader-Post has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox so you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe. With some online platforms blocking access to the journalism upon which you depend, our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark leaderpost.com and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. Click here to subscribe. Article content Share this article in your social network Share this Story : Roughriders' Samuel Emilus eclipses 1,000-yard milestone for second straight year Comments Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. Latest National Stories News Near Elliot Lake Featured Local Savings

Answering questions about the Saskatchewan Roughriders with one game to go in the regular season

Answering questions about the Saskatchewan Roughriders with one game to go in the regular season