Roughriders enter second half of season looking to build on 6-3 record

While there have been some bumps along the way, the Saskatchewan Roughriders are happy with how they handled the first half of their CFL season.

Despite a number of key injuries, the defending Grey Cup champions find themselves with a 6-3 record and one of the top teams in the league.

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“We’ve handled adversity well for the most part. I think we’ve played well for the most part — I think our one-off game was our last game and I think that’s all it is,” quarterback Trevor Harris said.

“I think we took a really hard, good look at the film and we will play better. We have a lot of equity built up in terms of how we have played and how we have responded to adversity no matter who our opponent is.

“We’ve done enough to continue to be in a position in the second half of the season where we control our own destiny. We have to continue building to be the team we need to be. The best teams are always the ones that peak late and play their best football in the back half. I think that’s exactly what we are going to do.”

Defensively, Marcus Sayles knows the unit has plays they feel they could have done better on but they have been playing well.

“That’s what the second half of the season is for. Those are going to be some big games that we have coming up. As long as we take that step forward every single day, I feel like we will be fine,” the defensive back said.

Saskatchewan is coming off of a 26-19 loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats that dropped the Riders to a 6-3 record, putting them into second place behind the 7-3 Edmonton Elks.

While the record has them on pace to finish 12-6, which is the same record they finished last season with en route to winning the Grey Cup, head coach Corey Mace knows the record doesn’t mean much right now.

“I’ve been around long enough to see teams who have won Grey Cups at .500 or less and teams who have gone 16-2 or 15-2-1 and not hoist the trophy at the end of the year,” Mace said.

“It doesn’t tell all. At the end of the season, that will be a little bit of a tell, but ultimately that doesn’t tell you much anyway because once you get into the playoffs and it’s going to be who is the best that day.

“We’re happy that the wins outweigh the losses but we haven’t met the standard we want to meet as a team and that’s what we chase.”

Saskatchewan will take on a B.C. Lions team on Sunday that has won three games in a row and has a 4-5 record which puts them back in the conversation to possibly host a playoff game in 2026.

Saskatchewan is expected to get wide receiver Sam Emilus back after he missed three games with a foot injury. Returner James Letcher Jr. (forearm), offensive linemen Daniel Johnson (illness) and Zack Fry (knee) and defensive tackle Ali Saad (calf) could also return to the game-day roster. They are all listed as avilable.

Kickoff for Sunday’s contest is set for 5 p.m. The Green Zone pregame show begins at 3 p.m.

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