The Winnipeg Blue Bombers finally get their season started with the home opener on Thursday. The BC Lions and Blue Bombers have played some crucial games in the last couple of years so we are a bit surprised they end up playing so early in the season. In fact, they play next week and that is the season series.
The idea that Zach Collaros is sitting this game out over miscommunication over a drug test is rather ridiculous, given on-field behaviour — deserving an actual suspension — doesn't get punished.
Chris Streveler starts for the Blue Bombers, coming off a horrendous knee injury off a cheap shot back in September.
Montréal hits the road for the Ottawa home opener on Friday night. The typical Thanksgiving opponents get a chance to renew this rivalry early in the season. Last Thanksgiving was one of the few times in recent years where the game was for playoffs significance. The teams don't play again until Thanksgiving Monday.
Matthew Shiltz gets the start for Dru Brown as the Ottawa quarterback. Brown reportedly suffered a hip injury last week. Brown had 413 passing yards and 2 touchdowns in the loss in Regina.
Calgary is far from home for Toronto's home opener at BMO Field in a late Saturday afternoon contest. The Argonauts should get some Grey Cup championship love after its win over Winnipeg last November.
Those hoping to attend the games in Toronto and Hamilton need a teleporter or a helicopter as the Tiger-Cats home opener follows the Argos. Saskatchewan, with its new running back Ka'Deem Carey, travels to Hamilton for the Saturday nightcap at Tim Hortons Field. The latter game is on CTV/TSN in Canada.
CBS Sports Network has the Thursday game in Winnipeg and the Saturday doubleheader.
The Edmonton Elks get to rest up after their opener in Vancouver last week and to come down from the Snoop Dogg high.
CTV
Saturday
Saskatchewan @ Hamilton, 7p
CBS Sports Network
Thursday
BC @ Winnipeg, 8:30p
Saturday
Calgary @ Toronto, 4p
Saskatchewan @ Hamilton, 7p
TSN
Thursday
BC @ Winnipeg, 8:30p
Friday
Montréal @ Ottawa, 7:30p
Saturday
Calgary @ Toronto, 4p
Saskatchewan @ Hamilton, 7p
Bye week: Edmonton
Hey, um, so this is literally insane pic.twitter.com/YNMPwX6Yf5
— 3DownNation (@3DownNation) June 8, 2025
How good was this Tre Ford play? We knocked Snoop Dogg off the top of this part of the story. Sure this was in a losing cause but what a play for the Elks quarterback.
As for the game, the Lions woke up in the second half (or they were less affected by the pot smoke).
SNOOP IS IN THE HOUSE! 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/97tx1TGjeI
— BC LIONS (@BCLions) June 8, 2025
Snoop Dogg drew 52,837 to BC Place. The BC Lions had something to do with that. The mark is slightly below the 53,788 with 50 Cent in the 2024 home opener. Still impressive numbers all around.
Snoop Dogg has arrived at BC Place and he has definitely not been censored!#CFL #BCLions #RoarAsOne pic.twitter.com/J7C9ZPqurj
— JC Abbott (@TheJCAbbott) June 8, 2025
There is always talk about fans who came for the concert and then left. The concerts create a buzz inside BC Place and outside the stadium.
Us watching a MTL game without the air horns: pic.twitter.com/Mu8nNHNbRc
— 3DownNation (@3DownNation) June 7, 2025
The Montréal Alouettes put up 354 yards of offence and forced 4 takeaways over Toronto. Davis Alexander is now 5-0 as a CFL starting QB. You might factor in the loss of Chad Kelly from this game but the Alouettes got off to a good start.
Felt very silent watching the game. The sight lines are so beautiful at Molson Stadium.
2025 CFL Week 1 preview: Opening weekend
Ottawa had a rather good comeback in Regina, fulfilling the obligation of a possible win within the last 3 minutes. Saskatchewan had a well-rounded game and gt off to a 24-7 lead. Samuel Emilus had 8 catches for 133 yards and a touchdown. Thomas Bertrand-Hudon was a force on the ground in for AJ Ouellette with 14 carries, 57 yards, and a touchdown. Jameer Thurman was all over the place with 10 tackles and a sack.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders signed veteran running back Ka'Deem Carey, given Ouellette's injury. Carey, like Ouellette, used to play for Toronto.
2025 CFL preview
No matter the optimism, 3 CFL teams don't make the playoffs each season. Calgary won because the Stampeders beat Hamilton. Edmonton lost to BC.
Vernon Adams Jr. led the Stampeders to an offensive touchdown in the first drive, something the Tiger-Cats couldn't do until late in the 4th quarter. Calgary went from playing well to not so well while Hamilton kicked field goals, rouges, and got a kickoff return for a major.
Calgary was celebrating 80 years as a franchise, including a visit to the TSN booth by Doug Flutie.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats general manager Ted Goveia hasn't been a part of the team for long, having come over from Winnipeg. We found out this week that Goveia has been diagnosed with "a serious form of cancer that's spread." We hope for a full recovery.
2025 CBC television upfront preview
The CFL and CBC are mixing but not in the usual manner. CFL All-Star and two-time Grey Cup winner Brady Oliveira (Winnipeg Blue Bombers) and his partner, realtor-rescue influencer Alex Blumberg, are involved in Must Love Dogs, a reality show about rescuing dogs across Manitoba. The date in the release is set for 2026.
2025 CFL preseason schedule
Toronto Argonauts win yet another Grey Cup over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage
REDBLACKS STRIKE FIRST 🗣️
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) June 6, 2025
Dustin Crum scores the first touchdown of the @CFL season! pic.twitter.com/PJGyqm1ihU
The new graphics look good.
Since we don't have the CBS Sports Network feeds, we can't keep track of the studio crews. This is new territory for your humble narrator. My OCD and partial ADHD will struggle with this yet I will manage.
Saw a 3-person crew in Regina and Montréal and LaPolice joined the panel on Saturday.
TSN generally likes to have one of its broadcast crew on site the day before in covering the games. Using Paul LaPolice on colour each week gives Duane Forde and Glen Suitor more time and flexibility to get ready for a game.
Nielson and LaPolice worked a game for the first time ever in Montréal on Friday night. Marshall Ferguson rarely goes west but did a game in Calgary.
Ottawa @ Saskatchewan: Rod Smith/Glen Suitor/Brit Dort
Toronto @ Montréal: Dustin Nielson/Paul LaPolice/Matthew Scianitti
Hamilton @ Calgary: Marshall Ferguson/Duane Forde/Tom Gazzola
Edmonton @ BC: Rod Smith/Glen Suitor/Farhan Lalji
logo credit: @CFL
Twitter captures: @3DownNation; @BCLions; @TheJCAbbott; @3DownNation; @TSN_Sports