The Edmonton Elks will meet the B.C. Lions for the first time this season in Week 5.
CFL Week 5 – Game 1 Analysis – Saturday July 4 in Kelowna
This contest is part of the Touchdown Kelowna series, where the Lions are entertaining the 2 Alberta teams with games in Kelowna due to World Cup Soccer conflicts at BC Place Stadium. Going into this game, the Elks will have a couple more days of rest than the Lions and will need all of it to prepare against Nathan Rourke and the top scoring team from last season.
Mark Kilam is looking for his first victory against the Lions as the Elks went 0-3 last season and are 2-11 since the returning from the pandemic break in 2020.
The key to victory is getting 30+ points. In those 13 games since 2020, the Elks 2 wins came when they scored 30+ points and the Lions were 30+ points in 8 of their 11 victories. Historically, the Elks are 51-12 when scoring 30+ points against the Lions while the Lions are 55-6 against the Elks when scoring 30+ points
Scheduling Quirk #1:Since the Lions joined the CFL in 1954, this is the first non-pandemic year where Edmonton does not play in Vancouver against the Lions. On May 23, 2026, they will play the pre-season game in Langford BC and then the regular season series kicks off in Kelowna. Only a playoff match up hosted by the Lions will quash this quirk
CFL Week 7 – Game 2 Analysis – Friday July 17 at Commonwealth Stadium
These two teams meet up 13 days later with the season series on the line. The Lions haven’t played since that Week 5 matchup while the Elks are playing in the 2nd consecutive home game. Even though the Lions may have the edge in rest, they are dealing with the uncomfortable scenario of moving back to Vancouver while prepping for a road game.
Scheduling Quirk #2: This is the earliest, these two teams will have wrapped up a season series. The previous earliest was on August 11, 2024. The good thing is, the next time you have a game plan for the Lions is in the playoffs with lots of tape available. The bad thing is, there is no 4 point game down the stretch against the Lions to make up ground or put ground between you. It is vital to take care of business in July.
The History
When the Lions entered into the CFL in 1954, Edmonton beat up the newcomers going 19-1 in the first 5 seasons.The Lions are currently returning the favor winning 11 of the last 12 regular season contests. Over the years, these two teams have had many coaches in common with the two clubs going back to Annis Stukas, Jackie Parker and Eagle Keys to as recent as Jason Tucker, Rick Campbell and Jarius Jackson. The Lions helped open Commonwealth Stadium August 30, 1978 as Edmonton won 18-10. Joe Holliman had the only Edmonton TD that day on a pick-6. The teams met up for 3 consecutive West Finals from 1986-88 and would love to get back to that West Division Final rivalry.
The 2 cities have played in:
5 Western Division Semi-Final (4-2), *In 1959 Elks won the West Semi-Final winning both games of 2 game total point series. This was the Lions first taste of the playoffs
7 West Division Finals (5-2)
-1977 Edmonton 38 BC 1
-1981 Edmonton 22 BC 16
-1986 Edmonton 41 BC 5
-1987 Edmonton 31 BC 7
-1988 BC 37 Edmonton 19
-2005 Edmonton 28 BC 23
-2011 BC 40 Edmonton 23
Common Players/Staff between the two Organizations
Current: Francis Bemiy, Mathieu Betts, Brent Boyko, Cody Fajardo, Ed Hervey, Jeremiah Masoli, Garry Peters, Jason Tucker, Sean Whyte, Jaylin Williams, Glen Young
Historic: T.J. Acree, Damon Allen, Simon Baffoe, Kelly Bates, Mike Benevides, David Boone, Rick Campbell, Jay Christensen, Matt Dunigan, Ron Estay, Bernie Faloney, Farren Flutie, Rickey Foggie, Keith Gooch, Leo Groenwegen, Larry Highbaugh, Stewart Hill, Bob Howes, Hank Ilesic, Jarius Jackson, Ed Jones, Patrick Kabonga, Peter KEmpf, Eagle Keys, Adam Konar, J.R. LaRose, Don Matthews, Danny McManus, Sean Millington, Mark Nohra, Hugh O’Neill, Joe Paopao, Jackie Parker, James Parker, Willie Pless, Vic Rapp, Mike Reilly, Roger Reinson, Adam Rita, Glenn Rogers Jr, Jim Sandusky, Geroy Simon, Dave Skrien, Annis Stukas, Eric Tillman, Tom Wilkinson, Greg Vavra
The Stats
Elks Record when:
Elks Record vs BC: 117-91-4 (0.561)
Elks Record vs BC at Home: 63-40-1 (0..611)
Elks Record vs BC at Away: 54-51-3 (0.514)
Elks Record on July 4: 3-1-0 (0.750)
Elks Record on July 17: 9-2-0 (0.818)
The last 10
Elks Record vs last 10 BC Games: 1-9-0 (0.100)
Elks Record vs last 10 BC Games at Home: 6-4-0 (0.600)
Elks Record vs last 10 BC Games on the Road: 2-8-0 (0.200)
Last time Edmonton swept season series: 2019
Last time BC swept season series: 2025
| 2025 Head-to-Head Statistical Comparison | ||||||
| Edmonton Offensive Rankings | BC Defensive Rankings | |||||
| Rank | Total | Avg | Rank | Tot | Avg | |
| 8 | 422 | 23.4 | POINTS FOR/ALLOWED | 7 | 499 | 27.7 |
| 6 | 40 | TDS | 8 | 47 | ||
| T8 | 35 | FGS | 6 | 46 | ||
| 9 | 5665 | 314.7 | NET OFFENCE | 4 | 6337 | 352.1 |
| 5 | 1766 | 98.1 | RUSHING YARDS | 7 | 1896 | 105.3 |
| 8 | 4392 | 244 | PASSING YARDS | 3 | 4748 | 263.8 |
| 6 | 6.2 | AVG YDS/PLAY | 2 | 6.37 | ||
| 4 | 5.2 | AVG GAIN RUSH | T3 | 5 | ||
| 8 | 6.1 | AVG GAIN 1st DOWN | 3 | 6.5 | ||
| 9 | 43.6 | 2nd DOWN CONV % | 8 | 49.6 | ||
| 5 | 118 | 1ST DOWN by RUSH | 8 | 138 | ||
| T8 | 185 | 1ST DOWN by PASS | T5 | 214 | ||
| T4 | 26 | 1ST DOWN by PEN | 9 | 35 | ||
| 1 | 71.9 | COMPLETION % | 5 | 69.4 | ||
| 9 | 19 | PASSING TD’S | T6 | 29 | ||
| 4 | 102.5 | PASS EFFICIENCY | 6 | 98.5 | ||
| 8 | 52 | SACKS ALLOWED/BY | T1 | 45 | ||
| 1 | 12.9 | PUNT RET AVG | T6 | 11.9 | ||
| 5 | 22.5 | K/O RET AVG | 6 | 22.4 | ||
| 2 | 3 | KICK RET TDS | T3 | 1 | ||
| Edmonton Defensive Rankings | BC Offensive Rankings | |||||
| Rank | Total | Avg | Rank | Tot | Avg | |
| 5 | 490 | 27.2 | POINTS ALLOWED/FOR | 1 | 559 | 31.1 |
| T6 | 44 | TDS | 1 | 59 | ||
| 7 | 47 | FGS | 7 | 39 | ||
| 9 | 7013 | 389.6 | NET OFFENCE | 1 | 7743 | 430.2 |
| 5 | 1831 | 101.7 | RUSHING YARDS | 3 | 2042 | 113.4 |
| 9 | 5336 | 296.4 | PASSING YARDS | 1 | 5857 | 325.4 |
| 8 | 6.84 | AVG YDS/PLAY | 1 | 8.04 | ||
| T3 | 5 | AVG GAIN RUSH | 1 | 6.1 | ||
| T3 | 6.5 | AVG GAIN 1st DOWN | 1 | 8.5 | ||
| 9 | 51.2 | 2nd DOWN CONV % | 1 | 52.6 | ||
| 6 | 123 | 1ST DOWN by RUSH | 4 | 128 | ||
| T7 | 245 | 1ST DOWN by PASS | 2 | 260 | ||
| T3 | 24 | 1ST DOWN by PEN | 6 | 24 | ||
| 8 | 71.5 | COMPLETION % | 6 | 68.7 | ||
| T6 | 29 | PASSING TD’S | 2 | 33 | ||
| 8 | 104.3 | PASS EFFICIENCY | 3 | 104 | ||
| T7 | 24 | SACKS BY/ALLOWED | 1 | 20 | ||
| T6 | 11.9 | PUNT RET AVG | 9 | 9.2 | ||
| 5 | 22.2 | K/O RET AVG | 3 | 23 | ||
| 7 | 3 | KICK RET TDS | T6 | 1 | ||
