Stampeders beat Lions to keep away from elimination

The Calgary Stampeders prevented elimination from playoff rivalry Saturday, however should depend on a division rival to increase their CFL season.

The Stampeders (9-9) defeated the visiting B.C. Lions (10-7) 32-13 in Calgary’s last sport of the common season. 

The Stampeders headed into their season-ending bye week needing the workforce they simply beat to down the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (8-9) subsequent Friday to get into the 2026 playoffs.

So Stampeder coaches and gamers will spend just a few days in awkward limbo not understanding if their season is finished.

The Lions had already locked up second within the West Division, and the proper to host the division semifinal Oct. 31, when the Blue Bombers misplaced to the Edmonton Elks on Friday.

The Elks (13-4) secured first within the West with the win over Winnipeg and host the division last Nov. 7. The winner of that sport advances to the Gray Cup in Calgary on Nov. 15.

The defending Gray Cup champion Roughriders (9-8) can end no worse than fourth within the West after beating the Montreal Alouettes 16-12 earlier on Saturday.

The fourth workforce within the West will cross over and meet the Toronto Argonauts within the East Division semifinal. The third seed heads to Vancouver to face the Lions within the West semifinal.

The Blue Bombers went 2-1 towards the Stampeders this season, and would thus end greater within the occasion of a tie.

Quincy Vaughn scored a pair of short-yardage speeding touchdowns and Ajou Ajou caught a landing go for Calgary in entrance of an introduced 21,968 at McMahon Stadium.

Rene Paredes, who intends to retire after 15 years as a Stampeder, kicked area targets from 24, 22, 29 and 32 yards and contributed two convert factors, however missed a 57-yard area aim try.

Vernon Adams Jr. accomplished 30 of 43 go makes an attempt for 324 yards, one landing go and one interception

Lions beginning quarterback Nathan Rourke went 8-for-11 in passing for 149 yards and one landing go within the first half.

Rourke was changed by Kaidon Salter within the second half, when the backup went 5-for-11 in passing for 82 yards and one interception.

Justin McInnis caught a landing go for B.C. 

Sean Whyte kicked area targets from 48 and 26, however missed from 46, and produced a convert level.

Saturday’s kickoff was held underneath solar and a temperature of 16 C, however winds gusted to 53 kilometres per hour out of the west earlier than diminishing through the sport.

Tied 13-13 at halftime, the Stampeders led for the primary time within the sport on Paredes’ 29-yard area aim early within the third quarter.

He was brief from 57 with the wind and Whyte was additionally brief from 47 towards earlier than the top of the third.

The Lions had the wind with them within the fourth, which was interrupted for a pair minutes by two rabbits working amok on the turf. 

A Paredes’s 32-yard area aim 5 minutes into the quarter gave Calgary a 19-13 lead. 

Adams threw his first landing go of the sport — to Ajou — after a five-play, 84-yard drive with 5 minutes remaining. Vaughn’s second short-yardage plunge to attain sealed the win for Calgary.

B.C. took a 13-10 lead on Whyte’s 26-yard area aim, however Paredes countered with a 22-yarder late within the first half to knot the rating.

The Lions have been up 10-3 within the first quarter when Rourke capped a 75-yard, four-play drive with a 19-yard landing go to McInnis.

Calgary efficiently challenged for go interference early within the second quarter to increase a drive. Vaughn scored on a one-yard plunge and Paredes transformed to attract the hosts even.

With the wind at their backs, the Lions scored on the sport’s first drive when Whyte booted a 48-yard area aim. His counterpart Paredes countered with a 24-yarder on the subsequent drive.

The Lions are at dwelling to the Blue Bombers on Friday within the regular-season finale for each golf equipment earlier than internet hosting the division semifinal Oct. 31. Calgary on a bye week awaits the results of Friday’s sport to know its playoff destiny.