The Edmonton Eskimos will have a new face at quarterback Friday night as they look to remain in the hunt for a top-three spot in the West Division. But the Eskimos are slight underdogs for Friday’s encounter with the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats in a matchup that is shaping up to be a preview of the opening round of the CFL playoffs. Logan Kilgore will make his first start with Edmonton after CFL passing leader Trevor Harris was injured earlier this month.

CFL Odds and Betting

The Eskimos find themselves as slight underdogs in this one, but that might actually work to their benefit; they’ve covered each of their previous three games as home ‘dogs, including consecutive straight-up victories over the rival Calgary Stampeders. But Edmonton is also just 1-5 ATS in its last six overall and has posted five straight non-covers against teams above .500. Hamilton, on the other hand, is 0-7 ATS in its last seven games as a road fave vs. the West.

This game carries an opening total of 51.5 – and while both sides have leaned toward the under, things have been vastly different when they face off. Hamilton comes in having gone below the number in four consecutive road games, while the Eskimos are 7-3 to the under in their previous 10 contests overall. But Edmonton has brought out the offence in both teams, with the over going 6-1 over their past seven games there (with at least 52 points scored in each).

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Hamilton has covered each of its previous six visits to Commonwealth Stadium, but has been downright dreadful as a road favourite outside its own division – so something has to give. And for things to work out in the Tiger-Cats’ favour Friday night, they’ll need to take much better care of the football; they’ve coughed it up 19 times in the previous five games, and are just lucky that four of them (Toronto, Ottawa, B.C. x 2) came against the three worst teams in the league.

Edmonton Eskimos

Kilgore will get at least one start while Harris recovers from a shoulder injury suffered in the first half of the Eskimos’ 33-17 loss to the Stampeders. Kilgore entered that contest in relief and had an up-and-down performance, going 21-for-28 for 242 yards with an interception in defeat. The Eskimos are also expecting to debut a pair of defensive linemen, with 2019 first-round pick Mathieu Betts and recent Atlanta Falcons cut Stefan Charles having signed on with the club.

Who Will Win Tiger-Cats vs. Eskimos?