2025 CFL Week 14 Picks and Betting Odds: Will Dru Brown start in Ottawa?
After last week’s Labour Day Classic, the CFL is back with more rivalry games in Week 14, including the Banjo Bowl in Winnipeg.
Let’s break down all four Week 14 games and dig for some picks.
Make sure to check out Sports Interaction’s complete list of CFL game odds and CFL futures.
BC Lions at Ottawa RedBlacks
The Lions and RedBlacks will both be rested off bye’s when they meet in the nation’s capital this week. BC is trying to stay in playoff contention at 5-6, while Ottawa has a slim chance at postseason football with a league-worst 3-8 record.
The Lions boast an elite offence. Nathan Rourke is among the top-four quarterbacks in the league statistically, while James Butler leads the CFL in both rushing yards and rushing TDs and Keon Hatcher is the receiving yard’s leader.
The problem is a BC defence that has been a sinking ship over the last five games. The Lions are allowing a league-high 35.6 points in that stretch and they’re coming off a performance that saw them give up 52 points to a less-than-stellar Argonauts team.
Ottawa’s fate this week could rely on the potential return of quarterback Dru Brown, who is dealing with a knee injury. Brown has been limited to seven games this season because of various injuries, but he’s elite when available. In the last full game Brown played, he went off for 373 passing yards with a career-high five TDs.
If Brown can’t go, it will be Dustin Crum under centre. That’s less than ideal for the RedBlacks as Crum is 4-13 in 17 career CFL starts and he hasn’t thrown for multiple TDs in any of his four starts this season.
I look at the Lions offence and can’t believe this team is below .500. While the defence is doing everything in its power to shoot itself in the foot, this could be a get-right game for BC. I’ll stick with a Lions team that smacked Ottawa around 38-12 in their last meeting.
Pick: BC -4.5
Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Montreal Alouettes
The Saturday triple-header begins with a game between two teams on losing streaks, yet who are still fighting for first in the East Division.
The Ti-Cats and Alouettes were each 5-2 and leading the East just over a month ago, but they enter Week 14 with a 1-7 combined record since.
While Bo Levi Mitchell leads the CFL in passing TDs, defensive issues have really hampered Hamilton in recent weeks. The Tabbies are allowing 35 points per game over their three-game skid, the second-worst mark in that time. That’s tanked an offence that leads the CFL with 30.3 points per game.
Montreal will be well rested for this matchup as they’ll have had 16 days off by the time they hit the field. That’s exactly what this injury-plagued team needs and it gives fourth-string quarterback James Morgan more time to find a rhythm. In Morgan’s first career start in Week 12, he completed 18 of 33 passes for 198 yards with one TD and two interceptions.
To put it simply, Hamilton thrives on offence and struggles on defence, while it’s the reverse for the Alouettes. In this situation, I’ll put all my chips on the Ti-Cats’ elite offence to eclipse a fourth-string quarterback in Montreal.
Pick: Hamilton -3.5
Saskatchewan Roughriders at Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Banjo Bowl will give the Blue Bombers a a chance to avenge last week’s 34-30 loss to Saskatchewan in the Labour Day Classic.
The 9-2 Roughriders remain undefeated against every team except Calgary, but there’s some questions about how the defence is holding up. Last week, Saskatchewan allowed 30 points for just the third time this season and only their high-flying offence prevented a second straight loss.
Winnipeg has historically loved the Banjo Bowl as they’re riding a five-game win streak in the series and have won nine of the past 11. Even more encouraging, is the play of quarterback Zach Collaros, who is coming off his best game of the season. Collaros was 26-of-37 against the Riders last week, finishing with 326 yards, three TDs and one interception.
This game is virtually a pick’em, so I’m going to stick with the total. These are two of the best offence’s in the league and they proved it last week with 64 combined points. I’ll count on that again.
Pick: Over 52.5
Calgary Stampeders at Edmonton Elks
Saturday’s triple-header concludes in the City of Champions a week after Calgary dismantled the Elks 28-7.
The Stampeders’ defence shined in last week’s win and it’s nothing new. Calgary is the only team in the CFL allowing an average of less than 20 points per game (19.5) and they rank within the top of most major defensive statistics.
Last week’s loss was Edmonton’s worst offensive showing this season, with the team failing to score a single touchdown. Cody Fajardo has now gone two consecutive games without a touchdown pass and he was running for his life last week after being sacked four times.
This year is a far cry from the Elks sweeping the season series in 2024. However, I’d like to give the benefit of the doubt to Edmonton. They had a convincing three-game win streak prior to last week and I think they’ll at least keep this game close at home.
Pick: Edmonton +5.5
