Roughriders vs. Argonauts Prediction: CFL Week 8 Point Spread, Odds
The good times keep rolling for the 5-0 Toronto Argonauts as they prepare to put their perfect season on the line in Nova Scotia against the 3-3 Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday. Toronto extended their season-opening win streak to five games with last week’s 31-15 victory in Hamilton. The Riders struggled to find offence in Week 7, falling 19-9 in B.C.
The Argos opened as heavy 10.5-point favourites to win on the CFL odds, while the total is sitting at 48.5.
CFL Odds and Betting
Toronto took both meetings against the Riders last season, winning 30-24 at home in Week 4 and 31-21 in Saskatchewan in Week 5. These teams usually combine for high scoring games, with the Over hitting in four straight head-to-heads and five of the last six.
Getting out of the “Wheat Province” might be what’s best for the Roughriders at this point as they have a 2-1 record on the road compared to a 1-2 record at Mosaic Stadium. Another positive sign is the team’s perfect 3-0 record against the spread on the road, while they haven’t covered in any of their three home games. Saskatchewan is an even 3-3 on the Over/Under this season.
The rest of the league is still looking for a way to stop an undefeated Argos team that has won by an average of 19.5 points in their two home games this season. They’re also a dominant cover option, going 5-0 ATS overall. Toronto hit the Over in three of those five games.
Saskatchewan Roughriders
Even with B.C.’s starting quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. knocked out of the game in the first quarter last week, the Roughriders couldn’t find a way to win. Saskatchewan’s offence struggled under new starting quarterback Mason Fine as the team finished with 300 total yards, including just 16 rushing yards. Fine finished 32-for-41 for 284 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. It was just the third career CFL start for the 26-year-old, who will leads the Riders for the foreseeable future with Trevor Harris’ season likely over due to a knee injury.
Looking at the stats doesn’t do much to improve morale in Saskatchewan as the numbers suggest the Riders are actually lucky to be a .500 football team. Saskatchewan ranks eighth in the CFL in both points per game (20.8) and sacks allowed (23). It’s the defence that has kept the season alive. The Roughriders are holding opponents to an average of 348.8 yards per game, the third-best mark in the league.
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts keep rolling as the defending Grey Cup champs look to prove their hot streak is no fluke. Quarterback Chad Kelly’s breakout season continued last week as the 29-year-old finished 20-for-27 for 306 yards and two touchdowns while running in another TD on the ground. It was the second-straight 300-plus yard passing game for Kelly, who now ranks fourth in the CFL in total passing yards (1,408), fourth in passing touchdowns (7) and leads the league in average passing yards per game (281.6).
The Argos’ 5-0 record matches a club record set in 1960. They currently lead the CFL in almost every major statistical category, including average yards per game (411.2), rushing yards per game (129.6), QBR (115.6) and points per game (37.2). Defensively, they rank fifth in average yards allowed per game (370.4), first in rushing yards allowed (64.8) and fourth in points allowed (22.2).
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