Week 1 of the 2022 CFL season is finally here and Saturday will feature the Saskatchewan Roughriders opening the year at home against the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats.  Both these team’s seasons were ended by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers last year.  The Riders lost in the East Division finals, while the Ti-Cats lost in the Grey Cup.

Saskatchewan is a 1-point favourite to win on the CFL odds, with a total of 47.5.

CFL Odds and Betting

Both meetings between these teams last year ended in blowout victories for the home side.  The Roughriders won 30-8 in Week 2, while the Tiger-Cats won 24-3 in Week 16.  The total has gone Under in six of the last seven head-to-heads.

Hamilton hasn’t been a solid cover option against the Roughriders as they’re just 3-7 against the spread in the last 10 meetings.  They were a decent cover option overall last year, however, going 10-6-1 ATS in the regular season and playoffs combined.  The Over/Under finished 6-11.  The Tiger-Cats’ regular season win total is the second-highest in the CFL at 10.5 games.  They are +150 favourites to win the East Division and +520 to win the Grey Cup.

Saskatchewan is a solid 7-2 ATS in their last nine games against the Ti-Cats.  They finished last year just 8-8 ATS, however.  The Over/Under was 5-11.  The Riders’ season win total is set at 9.5 games.  They’re +265 to win the West Division and +485 to win the Grey Cup, trailing only Winnipeg in both categories.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Hamilton’s loss in last year’s Grey Cup was all the more painful because it came on their home field and was their second straight loss in the final against the Blue Bombers.  They split their preseason schedule this year, winning 25-23 at home against the Alouettes before losing 18-17 on the road against the Argonauts.  After splitting starts with Jeremiah Masoli last year, Dane Evans has emerged as the No. 1 option at quarterback now that Masoli is in Ottawa.  In six games last year, Evans threw for 787 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions.

The biggest loss in the offseason is unquestionably receiver Brandon Banks, the 2019 Most Outstanding Player.  Banks and top defensive lineman Ja’Gared Davis both singed in Toronto.  The basic core of the team remains intact, however, led by Simoni Lawrence.  Head coach Orlando Steinauer, who is 23-9 in two seasons at the helm, has built a solid foundation for this team and they should be poised to make another Grey Cup run this year.

Saskatchewan Roughriders

With the Grey Cup in Saskatchewan this year, the Roughriders have a little more incentive to get past Winnipeg after falling to the Blue Bombers in the last two West Division finals.  Saskatchewan dropped both preseason games, losing 25-16 at home to the Bombers and falling 20-18 against the Lions in B.C.  Head coach Craig Dickenson is 22-10 over two seasons with the Roughriders and he’ll once agains have quarterback Cody Fajardo leading the offence.  Fajardo finished last year with 2,970 passing yards (third-most in CFL), 14 touchdowns (T-2) and 11 interceptions.

The Riders will also return with the solid receiving core of Shaq Evans, Kyran Moore and Duke Williams, although top running back William Powell is now in Ottawa.  Defensively, Saskatchewan was able to sign linebacker Darnell Sankey, who was the CFL’s leading tackler with Calgary last year.

CFL Prediction: Who Will Win Tiger-Cats vs. Roughriders?