Lions come off bye week chasing second straight victory versus Elks

Roughly two weeks ago, Nathan Rourke and the B.C. Lions did something no other CFL team has been able to this season: Defeat the Edmonton Elks.

Roughly two weeks ago, Nathan Rourke and the B.C. Lions did something no other CFL team has been able to this season: Defeat the Edmonton Elks. B.C. (1-3) earned a 36-24 home win over Edmonton (4-1) on July 4 ahead of its bye week. The Lions resume play Friday night facing the Elks at Commonwealth Stadium.

Rourke, naturally, figured in the win, passing for 320 yards and a TD. But the CFL’s outstanding player and top Canadian last season was also intercepted twice and didn’t have a rushing attempt. Running back James Butler was the offensive catalyst, rushing for 135 yards and two TDs on just 15 carries.

Defensively, B.C. held CFL rushing leader Justin Rankin to just 19 yards on seven carries. Rankin added 10 catches for 100 yards but had no touchdowns in the contest. Still, Rankin is on pace for 1,847 yards rushing and 1,069 yards receiving, which would make him the first player in CFL history to achieve that double.

He’s also projected for 26 total touchdowns (Milt Stegall holds the current record of 23) and 2,916 scrimmage yards (current mark is 2,414 yards held by Mike Pringle). Rankin has also rushed for 100 or more yards four times this season while Edmonton’s defence has forced 16 total turnovers. Edmonton starter Cody Fajardo finished 34-of-51 passing for 395 yards and three TDs versus B.C. but was intercepted three times.

The Elks are coming off a 40-17 home win over Ottawa last week as Rankin ran for 107 yards and two TDs and had three catches for 43 yards and a touchdown. Fajardo completed 19-of-24 passes for 340 yards and two TDs while Javon Leake added 85 yards rushing on 10 carries as the Elks ran for 215 yards on 33 attempts overall. Edmonton intercepted Ottawa’s Jake Maier four times, including two by Kordell Jackson.

Rourke (1,403 passing yards), Toronto’s Chad Kelly (league-high 1,804) and Montreal’s Davis Alexander (1,779) are on pace for the sixth, seventh and eighth 6,000-yard seasons in the CFL. Anthony Calvillo, the Alouettes offensive co-ordinator, was the last player to reach the mark (2004) while David Archer and Doug Flutie are the only ones to achieve the milestone in the same season (1993). Pick: Edmonton.

Montreal Alouettes vs Calgary Stampeders (Saturday afternoon) At Calgary, Montreal (4-1) looks to sweep the home-and-home series following last week’s 37-30 victory at Molson Stadium. Canadian receiver Tyson Philpot had nine catches for 132 yards and a TD for the Als.

Alexander completed 22-of-30 passes for 301 yards and a TD and hasn’t thrown an interception this season. Ditto for Vernon Adams Jr., who had 272 passing yards and three TDs last week for the Stampeders (2-3), who are 1-2 at home but the losses have been by a combined five points. The win was a 58-36 decision over Ottawa on July 2.

Pick: Calgary. Toronto Argonauts vs Hamilton Tiger-Cats (Saturday night) At Hamilton, Toronto (2-3) plays its final ‘home’ game on the road due to the World Cup after a 40-34 win in Regina on June 26 and last week’s 30-21 loss in Winnipeg.

In addition to leading the CFL in passing, Kelly is also tied with Adams for most TDs (14) but has thrown a league-high eight interceptions. Toronto’s defence is ranked last overall in yards allowed per play (7.73), passing yards (375 per game) and 30-plus yard completions (14). Trouble is, the Ticats (2-3) are minus starter Bo Levi Mitchell (ankle) and managed just 250 net offensive yards in last week’s 38-7 road loss to Saskatchewan.

Pick: Toronto. Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs Ottawa Redblacks (Sunday night) At Ottawa, Dru Brown could face his former team after leading Winnipeg (3-2) past Toronto last week with incumbent Zach Collaros (neck) out.

The Redblacks (0-5) sent Brown back to the Bombers on June 23 and last week he threw for 339 yards with a TD and interception in his ‘26 debut. Brown spent two seasons in the Canadian capital after starting his CFL career in Manitoba in 2021. The Bombers are last in offensive points per game (22.0) but the Redblacks are eighth in offensive points allowed (34.2 per game).

What’s more, they’re 0-3 at TD Place while the Bombers are 2-0 on the road. Pick: Winnipeg. Last week: 3-1.

Overall: 11-11. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 15, 2026.