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The Saskatchewan Roughriders will look to best the Calgary Stampeders on Saturday to improve to 2-0 to start the 2026 CFL season.
Calgary was the only team that the Riders didn’t beat last season, losing both contests in the regular season. At the end of the year, it was the Riders who won the Grey Cup while the Stamps lost the CFL West semifinal to the B.C. Lions.
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Quarterback Trevor Harris, who is coming off a three-touchdown performance in a Week 2 win over the Lions, admits the Stamps provide some unique challenges.
“They are very good personnel-wise. They have a good defensive line and their linebackers are very active — they make plays at all levels of the field, and they have some great defensive backs too,” Harris said.
“It’s going to be a heavyweight fight and we are excited for it.”
One big difference in this year’s contest against the Stamps will be that the Riders will have Kian Schaffer-Baker and Sam Emilus in their lineup, as the pass-catchers missed both 2025 games against Calgary. In their first games of 2026, Kian Schaffer-Baker caught 11 passes for 165 yards while Emilus had 91 yards and three touchdowns.
Those two, along with KeeSean Johnson, make up a big three of receivers for the Riders, but it was rare for the trio to be on the field at the same time last season due to injuries.
“The fact we have those three healthy, I feel we are a step ahead,” Harris said.
“It’s on us to make sure we are performing every week. It’s not just that we’re out there and we’re good. We have to make sure we are on it each and every week.”
Harris earned his 70th career victory last week, but Calgary has been a thorn in his side throughout his career. He is 3-13-2 against Calgary, his worst record against any opponent.
The Stamps will also have a big part of their defensive puzzle back this week as Jaylon Hutchings makes his 2026 debut. The defensive tackle had 39 tackles and eight sacks last season for Calgary before signing with the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings. He was waived by them and rejoined the Stamps but missed their first game of the season due to a hamstring injury.
Calgary will be without Folarin Orimolade, who is still recovering from an Achilles injury he suffered late last season.
“Even without those them, they are good,” said offensive guard Jacob Brammer on Thursday, before the official depth charts were released.
“We have a lot of respect for them — they are both really good pass rushers and really good all-across D-linemen.”
For the Riders, they will be without two parts of their secondary. Defensive back Rolan Milligan Jr. was added to the six-game injured list due to a shoulder injury while safety Nelson Lokombo will miss at least this game as he ends up on the one-game injured list with an ankle injury.
Starting for Lokombo will be safety Jaxon Ford, who is in his fourth CFL season.
“The standard is the standard. The next-man-up mentality and we’re all pros. Even though some of us aren’t taking those (starter) reps in practice but we are still mentally taking them and making sure we are still locked in,” Ford said.
In for Milligan will be Juju Hughes, who will be making his CFL regular-season debut.
The Riders will need to stop a Calgary offence that features quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. and running back Dedrick Mills, last season’s rushing leader. Both played well in their first game of the season, but it wasn’t enough to earn a Calgary win against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Adams owns a career record of 49-29 and is 6-2 in his career vs. Saskatchewan.
The Riders will look to get after the quarterback again this week as both defensive ends, Desmond Evans and James Vaughters, registered sacks.
Mike Rose (42) and the rest of the Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive line will look to stop Calgary Rusher Dedrick Mills. (Saskatchewan Roughriders)
Saskatchewan will also be without long snapper Aaron Crawford, who was added to the six-game injured list with a knee injury. Mike Benson, whose signing was announced on Wednesday, will play.
Calgary is coming off a bye week, which has allowed head coach Dave Dickenson some extra time to game plan for the Riders. Dickenson has 95 career wins as a CFL head coach.
“That team has been really good under Dickenson, in general. Knowing those guys over there as far as their coaching staff and what’s required of them and the work they do, nothing but respect,” said Riders head coach Corey Mace, who was on that staff from 2016-21 as the defensive line coach.
“They don’t leave very many rocks unturned. You give them an ample amount of time, they are going to put some good stuff together.”
Heading to Calgary often means there’s a healthy splash of green in the crowd as Rider fans invade McMahon Stadium.
“It’s great. Ultimately, we have to do something to give them something to cheer about. It’s awesome to have fans everywhere we go, but if they are quiet, it does us no good. We have to do something to get them rowdy,” Mace said.
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