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The Calgary Stampeders kept their playoff hopes alive on Saturday, defeating the B.C. Lions 32-13 in front of 21,968 fans at McMahon Stadium. However, the Stampeders cannot control their own postseason fate. They now need the Lions to beat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers next Friday to secure a spot in the 2026 CFL playoffs.
Calgary finished the regular season at 9-9. The Lions, now 10-7, had already locked up second place in the West Division before Saturday’s game. Winnipeg’s loss to the Edmonton Elks on Friday sealed that outcome. As a result, the Stampeders enter a bye week in limbo, unsure whether their season continues.
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Playoff Picture Takes Shape
The Elks improved to 13-4 with Friday’s win over Winnipeg. Edmonton secured first place in the West Division and will host the division final on November 7. The winner of that game advances to the Grey Cup in Calgary on November 15.
The defending Grey Cup champion Saskatchewan Roughriders beat the Montreal Alouettes 16-12 earlier on Saturday. That result guaranteed Saskatchewan no worse than fourth in the West. The fourth-place West team crosses over to face the Toronto Argonauts in the East Division semifinal. Meanwhile, the third seed travels to Vancouver to meet the Lions in the West semifinal on October 31.
Winnipeg holds a tiebreaker advantage over Calgary. The Blue Bombers went 2-1 against the Stampeders this season. Therefore, if both teams finish level, Winnipeg advances instead of Calgary.
Stampeders Dominate the Second Half
The two teams were tied 13-13 at halftime. Calgary took its first lead of the game early in the third quarter. Kicker Rene Paredes converted a 29-yard field goal to put the Stampeders ahead.
Paredes added a 32-yard field goal five minutes into the fourth quarter, pushing Calgary’s lead to 19-13. Quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. then connected with Ajou Ajou for a touchdown after an 84-yard, five-play drive with five minutes remaining. Running back Quincy Vaughn sealed the win with his second short-yardage rushing touchdown of the game.
Adams finished the game completing 30 of 43 passes for 324 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Vaughn scored twice on short-yardage plunges. Paredes, who plans to retire after 15 seasons with Calgary, kicked field goals from 24, 22, 29 and 32 yards. He also added two convert points, although he fell short on a 57-yard attempt.
Lions Competitive in the First Half
B.C. started strongly. The Lions scored first when Sean Whyte booted a 48-yard field goal on the opening drive. Paredes answered with a 24-yarder on the next possession.
Lions starting quarterback Nathan Rourke was sharp in the first half. He completed 8 of 11 passes for 149 yards and one touchdown. Rourke capped a 75-yard, four-play drive with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Justin McInnis, giving B.C. a 10-3 lead in the first quarter.
Calgary challenged a pass interference call early in the second quarter and won. That extended a drive that ended with Vaughn scoring on a one-yard plunge. Paredes converted to level the score. Whyte’s 26-yard field goal put the Lions back ahead 13-10, but Paredes responded with a 22-yarder to tie the game at halftime.
Rourke did not return for the second half. Backup Kaidon Salter replaced him and went 6 of 14 for 113 yards with one interception. Both Paredes and Whyte missed long field goal attempts in the third quarter before the wind shifted in the fourth. The quarter was briefly interrupted when two rabbits ran onto the field.
Saturday’s game kicked off under sunny skies at 16 degrees Celsius. However, winds gusted up to 53 kilometres per hour from the west before easing as the game progressed.
What Comes Next
The Lions return home to face the Blue Bombers next Friday in the regular-season finale for both clubs. B.C. then hosts the West Division semifinal on October 31. Calgary, meanwhile, waits on a bye week. The Stampeders’ playoff fate depends entirely on the outcome of that Lions-Bombers game.
