Stats and storylines heading into this week’s action
BACK TO THE NEST
- BC’s William Stanback will face his former team in Montreal on Friday.
- In five seasons with the Alouettes, Stanback accumulated 3,716 rushing yards (fourth in franchise history), 1,058 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns.
- In the last 60 years, his rushing total in Montreal was second only to Mike Pringle.
- Stanback was the East Division’s Most Outstanding Player finalist in 2021.
- He last played for Montreal in the 110th Grey Cup, notching nine carries for 68 yards and a touchdown.
- In his last four games, Stanback has recorded 481 yards from scrimmage (379 rushing and 102 receiving), including 14 runs of 10+ yards.
QUICK SLANTS
League-wide
- OK Tire Labour Day Weekend games averaged 58 points and 817 yards of net offence.
- Last week, the team that entered with a lower winning percentage won all four games.
- The quarterback efficiency rating last week was a 106.7
- 67 per cent of games this season have been decided in the final three minutes, including seven of the last eight.
BC at MTL
- BC has won six of the teams’ last eight meetings.
- BC has the most tackles for a loss (29).
- Nathan Rourke will make his first start against Montreal. Last week, he recorded his first 300+ yard game of the season and the eighth of his career.
- Justin McInnis is the first player to reach 1,000 receiving yards this season. The last Canadian to reach the mark first was Andy Fantuz in 2010.
- Alexander Hollins needs nine receptions for 150 in his career. He sits fourth in the league with 803 receiving yards.
- Mathieu Betts collected a sack in his season debut last week. He has 19 in his last 19 games.
- BC is 2-2 against the East. Montreal is a 6-0 versus the West.
- Montreal has won its last five games on a week’s rest. This season, teams are 8-3-1 following a bye.
- Montreal is 7-1 when scoring first and 8-0 when leading after three quarters.
- Cody Fajardo is a career 6-4 against BC.
- Austin Mack established his career-high in receiving yards (143) against BC last season.
- Charleston Rambo has 20 receptions for 399 receiving yards and three touchdowns in his last four games.
- Tyrice Beverette leads the league with 91 defensive plays, including 66 defensive tackles and six pass knockdowns. He is on pace for 149.
TOR at OTT
- Toronto and Ottawa have allowed the most sacks this season (27).
- The Argonauts have won five games in a row against Ottawa, with the REDBLACKS’ last victory coming on July 31, 2022 (23-13).
- Chad Kelly is 2-0 versus Ottawa. He posted 322 yards in each of his two starts this season to reach six 300+ yard games in his career.
- Ralph Holley has one sack in each of his last three games and four in his past five.
- Ottawa is undefeated at home this season (5-0-1).
- Ottawa has been outscored in every quarter this season except the third, where they have a 71-31 margin.
- Dru Brown will make his first start against Toronto.
- Justin Hardy is nine catches shy of 200 in his career. He is second in the league with 853 receiving yards.
- Adarius Pickett’s next defensive tackle will be his 250th.
LABOUR DAY REMATCH: SSK at WPG
- CFL on CTV debut.
- The winner of this game will claim the season series and the tiebreaker. The Blue Bombers already hold tiebreakers over BC and Calgary.
- Winnipeg leads the rematch series, 12-7, including seven wins in the past eight games. Saskatchewan’s victory came in 2018 with Zach Collaros at the helm.
- The Blue Bombers won the Labour Day Classic, 35-33. Winnipeg has swept the home-and-home set on four occasions (2004, 2016, 2021-22). The teams split the set eight times.
- Trevor Harris has passed for 300+ yards in four of six games.
- In his third season, Samuel Emilus is 45 receiving yards away from 2,000 and five catches shy of 150.
- Rolan Milligan Jr.’s next defensive tackle will be his 150th.
- KeeSean Johnson has three consecutive games with a touchdown reception.
- Mike O’Shea is 7-2 in LDC rematches. At 102 career victories, he is tied for 10th all-time with Bud Grant and John Hufnagel.
- Nic Demski is 70 receiving yards away from 5,000 in his career.
- With one more sack, Willie Jefferson will become the 29th player to reach 75 in his career.
LABOUR DAY REMATCH: CGY at EDM
- Since the teams’ back-to-back sets were introduced 1989, Edmonton has hosted the second contest every year, except in 1992, when the roles were reversed.
- Calgary leads the rematches, 18-16.
- Edmonton is looking for its sixth sweep and its first since 2004. Calgary is aiming to split the two-game set for the 17th time.
- Calgary is looking to avoid its first four-game losing streak in 20 years.
- Calgary has yet to claim a road victory this season.
- Jake Maier is 3-2 against Edmonton. He will make his 38th consecutive start.
- Peyton Logan’s 104-yard punt return touchdown last week was the second-longest punt return in team history. He leads the league at 20.3 yards per punt return.
- A victory would give the Elks the season series for the first time since 2015.
- The Elks last won two straight against Calgary in 2015. They have not won three matchups in a row since 2003 to 2004.
- Last week, McLeod Bethel-Thompson set personal bests in passing yards in a game (486) and longest completion (106 yards).
- In his past five games, Tevin Jones has 20 receptions for 549 yards (27.4 yards per catch), including 208 last week.
- Nyles Morgan leads the league with 79 defensive tackles. He needs eight more for 300 in his career.
- Last week, Eugene Lewis recorded his first 100+ yard game of the season and the 18th of his career.