Stampeders vs. Roughriders CFL Week 18 Betting Odds, Picks: Major Playoff Implications in the West Division
While the first game of the CFL Week 18 Friday night doubleheader has no bearing on the postseason, the nightcap featuring the Calgary Stampeders visiting Saskatchewan is quite potentially important in that regard. The Roughriders are -4.5 on the CFL odds with a total of 62.5.
CFL Odds and Betting
The CFL’s crossover rule for the 2026 playoff field – that rule was introduced exactly 30 years ago — will be in effect because both Hamilton and Ottawa are so bad in the East Division that only Montreal and Toronto will play extra football from there. That rule allows a fourth-place team in one division to take a playoff spot in the opposite if they finish with a better record than that third-place team.
There have been 13 previous instances and interestingly, they all have been from the West Division crossing over to the East Division. None of those crossover teams ever won the Grey Cup, either. In fact, none even got that far.
Saskatchewan (8-6) is in good playoff position tied for second in the West with B.C. but losing the current tiebreaker. Calgary (7-8) is last in the West and has a game in hand on No. 4 Winnipeg (7-7).
This concludes the season series as in Week 3, the Roughriders won a 40-37 overtime shootout in Calgary to snap a three-game skid in the series. The Stamps tied the game when quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. connected with Tevin Jones for a with just 34 seconds left in regulation. But Riders backup QB Tommy Stevens rushed for a 1-yard TD in the second overtime to win it, his second TD of the game.
Calgary is 4-0 ATS in its past four trips to Saskatchewan.
Calgary Stampeders
Calgary was -2.5 last Saturday at winless Ottawa, and the Stamps kept their playoff hopes alive with a 45-31 victory – the ninth time this season they have scored at least 30. Vernon Adams Jr. was spectacular in completing 24 of 30 for 422 yards and three scores; three different pass-catchers had a TD grab and at least 100 yards. Adams was named a CFL Player of the Week for the second time this season, and it was his second 400-yard game of 2026.
While Jalen Philpot didn’t have a TD catch, he had six receptions for 127 yards and hit 1,000 in a season for the first time career. Deonta McMahon rushed for a score and had a TD catch. Calgary was missing three injured starters in receiver Reggie Begelton, offensive lineman D’Antne Demery and linebacker Derrick Moncrief. The latter two landed on the six-game injured list but Begelton is cleared to play here.
The over is 7-1 in Calgary’s past eight road games.
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Riders are on a two-game SU & ATS losing streak after falling 31-24 in B.C. last week as 5.5-point underdogs. Saskatchewan had the clear edge in time of possession (33:56) and led in first downs 23-21. But it went 2-for-5 on the red zone, while the Lions were 4-for-5. On the season, Saskatchewan is tied for third in the league in red-zone TDs (37) and has a conversion percentage of 69.8.
KeeSean Johnson caught nine passes for 119 yards in the losing effort and is up to 95 catches for 1,178 yards. Five catches Saturday would make him the fastest Roughrider to reach 100 in a season in terms of team games played. Joey Walters, Craig Ellis and Don Narcisse all reached 100 receptions in 16 games. The Riders’ offence has slowed of late, averaging 20.8 points in the past six compared to 34.3 points in the first eight games of the year.
They are 7-1-1 ATS in their past nine at home.
CGY
SSK