Elks schedule breakdown: Back-to-back battle with Roughriders come in Weeks 8 and 9

A pair of back-to-back contests vs the defending Grey Cup Champions near the midpoint of the season doesn’t get any bigger than this.

CFL Week 8 – Game 1 Analysis – Thursday July 23 in Regina

CFL Week 9 – Game 2 Analysis – Saturday August 1 at Commonwealth Stadium

The Elks ‘ neighbours to the east are coming off a banner year, to which the Elks want what they have. The Elks are coming off finishing the season series against BC. The Riders will have 2 weeks of game planning under their belts as they come off their bye week and 3 consecutive games against eastern opponents. The Riders won the season series last year with a 3 point win in July and surviving and Elks win by 2 in September.

I see these back-to-back games as war. There are 2 possible outcomes in this series, one team sweeps which means they win the season series, have solid footing in the Western Division Playoff race and the other team has some serious catching up to do with more pressure on the upcoming Labour Day battles.If the teams split the series, it sets up a Week 21 showdown for the season series.

Traditionally the Labour Day series against the Stampeders is the keystone to the Elks season but this one against the Champions may be the biggest pair of games since COVID.

As a fan, this game is almost mandatory attendance with extra credit given if making it to Regina for both games.

CFL Week 21 – Game 3 Analysis – Saturday October 24 at Regina

After 140 days and 17 games, this is the wrap of the 2026 regular season. The Elks are playing their second game against western opponents while the Riders are coming off of a back-to-back Grey Cup rematch with the Alouettes with 5 days rest between those games. Depending on the earlier season match up, this game could be for the season series win and may play a factor on playoff scenarios. The Elks are 1-4-0 (0.200) in final games of the year since 2000 but are 24-14 since the CFL went to an 18 game schedule in 1986.

The History

When Edmonton joined the league in 1949, these two clubs were balanced and were about 50/50 in games won. The Elks then went on a tear, winning 19 of 21 in an 8 year span with the Riders responding with 9 consecutive wins in 3 years and going 23-5 against the Elks into the early 70’s. The clubs then hooked up for 4 consecutive West Finals from 1973-76. Rolling into the 80’s, the Elks held a distinct advantage which balanced out in the 90’s and early 2000’s. In the most recent years, the Riders have held the advantage, going 14-8 since 2016.

There is no secret the Rider fans travel well and support their team wherever they are. When the Riders played the Argonauts in the 1997 Grey Cup, Commonwealth Stadium became the third largest city in Saskatchewan that day. Being reigning Grey Cup Champions, Rider fans will be in abundance at Commonwealth on August 1. The Elks are 5-7 in the previous 4 seasons when Riders were the defending Champions.

The 2 cities have played in: 

9 Western Division Semi-Final (7-3), *In 1958 Elks won the West Semi-Final winning both games of 2 game total point series.

9 West Division Finals (7-6) *Best of 3 series played in 1951 & 1956

-1951 Game 1: Edmonton 15 Saskatchewan 11

-1951 Game 2: Saskatchewan 12 Edmonton 5

-1951 Game 3: Saskatchewan 19 Edmonton 18

-1956 Game 1: Saskatchewan 23 Edmonton 22

-1956 Game 2: Edmonton 20 Saskatchewan 12

-1956 Game 3: Edmonton 51 Saskatchewan 7

-1973 Edmonton 25 Saskatchewan 23

-1974 Edmonton 31 Saskatchewan 27

-1975 Edmonton 30 Saskatchewan 18

-1976 Saskatchewan 23 Edmonton 13

-1989 Saskatchewan 32 Edmonton 21

–1997 Saskatchewan 31 Edmonton 30

-2003 Edmonton 30 Saskatchewan 23

Common Players/Staff between the two Organizations

Current: Brent Boyko, Larry Dean, Cody Fajardo, Trevor Harris, Paul Jones, Marc Mueller, J.C. Sherritt, Stephen Sorrells, Jason Tucker, 

Historic: Joe Aguire, Donovan Alexander, Tobi Antigha, Emmanuel Arceneaux, Simon Baffoe, Graeme Bell, Larry Bird, Adarius Bowman, Brett Boyko, Hugh Campbell, Greg Carr, Duron Carter, Randy Chevrier, John Chick, Bob Clarke, Dan Comiskey, Marcus Crandell, Carl Crennel, Craig Ellis, Frank Filchock, Tim Fleiszer, Lucius Floyd, Chris Getzlafn Nealon Greene, Richie Hall, Craig Hendrickson, Paul Hickie, Tom Higgins, Stewart Hill, Triston Jackson, Frank Jagas, Willie Jefferson, Andrew Jones, Chris Jones, Kitwana Jones, Milson Jones, Warren Jones, Jimmy Kemp, Cary Koch, Deon Lacey, Ron Lancaster, Hugo Lopez, Leon Lyskiewicz, Jason Maas, Bill Manchuk, Kevin Mason, Mike Mauer, Joe McKnight, Jerome Messam, Omarr Morgan, Montez Murphy, Mark Nelson, Carlo Panaro, Rod Pantages, Joe Paopao, Willie Pless, Loucheiz Purifoy, Chad Rempel, Glenn Rogers Jr, Dario Romero, Jon Ryan, Glen Scrivener, Geroy Simon, Val St. Germain, Eddie Steele, Jeff Treftlin, Brian Walling, Rick Walters, Odell Willis, Joe Worobec, Slater Zaleski

The Stats

Elks Record when:

Elks Record vs Saskatchewan: 126-100-2 (0.557)

Elks Record vs Saskatchewan at Home: 75-39-2 (0.655)

Elks Record vs Saskatchewan at Away: 51-61-0 (0.455)

Elks Record on July 23: 2-2-0 (0.500)

Elks Record on August 1: 3-3-0 (0.500)

Elks Record on October 24: 5-5-0 (0.500)

The last 10

Elks Record vs last 10 Saskatchewan Games: 4-6-0 (0.400)

Elks Record vs last 10 Saskatchewan Games at Home: 2-8-0 (0.200)

Elks Record vs last 10 Saskatchewan Games on the Road: 4-6-0 (0.400) 

Last time Edmonton swept season series: 2015

Last time Saskatchewan swept season series: 2021