McMahon Stadium, Calgary, Alberta
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. MT
TV: TSN / CFL+
The winless Redblacks, mired in an 18-game losing streak dating back to 2025 (a CFL modern-era record), visit the struggling Stampeders, who sit last in the West Division and are fighting to stay in the playoff race. Calgary has dropped two straight to Edmonton and desperately needs a win against the league’s weakest team to keep pace with Winnipeg and B.C. McLeod Bethel-Thompson is expected to make his first start of the season for Ottawa.
Starting Quarterbacks / Key Offensive Notes
Redblacks: QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson — Veteran taking over for the first start of 2026 after providing a spark in relief last week (16-of-23 for 192 yards and a TD vs. Toronto). Ottawa has struggled mightily on both sides of the ball all season.
Stampeders: QB Vernon Adams Jr. — The dual-threat leader of a high-scoring offence that ranks 2nd in points per game (34.6). Dedrick Mills has been a strong rushing option when healthy. Calgary can put up points but has been inconsistent defensively.
Calgary’s offence has been productive overall, while Ottawa ranks near the bottom in most categories.
Venue & Weather Forecast
McMahon Stadium is an open-air venue.Forecast for game time: Mostly sunny to clear, highs around 20–21°C (68–70°F), with lows near 7–9°C later. Light southeast winds (around 10 mph). Excellent football weather with minimal precipitation chance and comfortable conditions.
Injury Reports
Redblacks
Limited/DNP/monitoring: Greg Bell (RB, abdomen), Travian Blaylock (DB, hamstring), Brian Cole (LB, head), Elijah Collins (RB, quad), Jessie Evans (DL, head), Aidan John (DL, head), Sione Teuhema (DL, shoulder)
Available: Adrian Frye (DB) and others. The team has dealt with significant injuries all year, contributing to the winless record.
Stampeders
Limited/DNP/Questionable: Dedrick Mills (RB, hip – out indefinitely in some reports), Dejon Brissett (WR, elbow), Jesulayomi Ojutalayo (WR, ankle), Jaydon Grant (DB, shoulder), Ben Labrosse (DB, knee)
Full: Bailey Devine-Scott (DB), Zy Alexander (DB), Charles Wiley (DL)
Vernon Adams Jr. and key pieces appear available, though the backfield is thinned.
Key Player Matchups & Notes
Vernon Adams Jr. / Calgary receivers vs. Ottawa secondary — Calgary’s passing attack should exploit Ottawa’s porous defence. Look for Jalen Philpot and others.
McLeod Bethel-Thompson vs. Calgary front — The veteran will need protection and quick decisions against a Stampeders defence looking to bounce back.
Calgary’s ground game (when Mills is limited) vs. Ottawa’s run defence remains a potential edge for the home side.
Recent Team Forms
Redblacks: 0-12 and on an 18-game skid. They showed some fight in a close loss to Toronto last week but remain the league’s weakest team.
Stampeders: 5-8 with consecutive losses to Edmonton (38-28 and 53-16). Offence can still produce, but defence has struggled lately. This is a must-win to stay relevant in the West.
Series History
Limited 2026 meetings so far (this is the first of a home-and-home). Historically, Calgary has held the edge in the series overall, though Ottawa has had occasional upsets in recent years (including a 31-11 win in 2025).
Betting Trends
Calgary is a large home favourite against the winless Redblacks. Large spreads against struggling teams can be volatile, but the talent and home-field gap is significant.
GAME ODDS
Ottawa Redblacks 62.5
Calgary Stampeders – 8.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, September 18, 2026
