Back in June as the CFL was gearing up for a new campaign, few would have circled a bout between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Ottawa Redblacks as must-see TV. But as we head into Week 10 of CFL action, the Riders (5-3) and Redblacks (5-2) have surpassed expectations. That said, Saskatchewan is coming off a loss to the Edmonton Elks on Saturday, 42-31.

As it stands, our CFL odds have Ottawa pegged as a slight -3 favourite.

CFL Odds and Betting

The Redblacks have played many games against the West Division this season. Five times out of seven their opponents have come from west of Ontario, but this marks the first meeting in 2024 against Saskatchewan. Ottawa’s win last September halted a four-game winning streak for the Regina-based outfit, dating back to 2019. All but one of those five matches was decided by less than a touchdown.

The Roughriders are experiencing a bit of turbulence these days. They raced out to a 4-0 record but have fallen in three of their last four outings. That 5-3 tally in the standings is reflected in the spread column. Each defeat has translated to a failure to cover and vice versa. RB AJ Ouellette (hip), DL Jameer Thurman (elbow), LB Malik Straker (hamstring), OL Ryan Sceviour (elbow) are noted as unavailable as of Wednesday morning.

The situation is similar to the Redblacks’ performance against the spread. When they win, they cover and when they lose they don’t cover, hence the 5-2 record in both columns. Ottawa is also feeling good about itself coming out of its bye week, having won thrice in a row just before the break. DB Brandrin Dandridge (knee) and LB Tyron Vrede (knee) will be unavailable as of Wednesday morning. WR Bralon Addison is dealing with an illness but could play.

Saskatchewan Roughriders

The last two weeks have been perplexing for Saskatchewan. A fortnight ago, they kneeled before the Alouettes. While losing to the defending champs doesn’t sound shocking, it was against Montreal’s third-string QB.

Last week was more concerning. Hosting the Edmonton Elks felt like a recipe for a bounce-back performance. Lo and behold the Riders came out guns blazing with an opening kick-off returned for a major courtesy of Mario Alford. But then the wheels came off, especially on defence. The hosts were burned by Edmonton’s ground game, giving up an appalling 276 total yards. This included key Elks strikes in the second half that went to the house. RB Frankie Hickson had himself a solid day for the Riders’ cause (89 yards on 12 touches) but as the deficit expanded, Saskatchewan relied less on the running game.

QB Shea Patterson has played a lot since 2023 due to injuries to Trevor Harris, enough that most have a handle on who he is. He’s a decent gunslinger, but maybe not one who can always save the day, as evidenced by a backbreaking INT late in the fourth quarter when the team needed a score.

Make the final a 42-31 defeat. The Roughriders get little rest before travelling.

Ottawa RedBlacks

The 2024 season has been exciting so far for the RedBlacks. Given how poor things were a year ago, the fanbase is surely enjoying the 5-2 start, even if a couple of wins came against Edmonton (winless at the time).

If any doubts lingered about what kind of might and consistency Ottawa could showcase, they answered the bell in Week 8 at home against the Calgary Stampeders with a 33-6 win. From a defensive perspective, it was the sort of performance coaches and coordinators dream of. Ottawa limited the visitors to less than 300 yards, 16 first downs, and two field goals of offence. What’s more, they tallied a trio of sacks. DL Bryce Carter had a pair and DE Lorenzo Mauldin IV nabbed one as well. Each has four sacks each this season, which puts them tied for second league-wide.

The return game was incredible, with Kalil Pimpleton taking a punt 99 yards back the other way for a major, not to mention his 162-yard day.

Who Will Win Roughriders vs. RedBlacks?