CFL 2026 Playoffs Semifinals Weekend Review

     

Grey Cup/Coupe Grey

Okay, so the 2026 CFL regular season is over now. 

It's playoff time. Three teams - the Calgary Stampeders, the Ottawa Redblacks, and the Hamilton Tigercats -  have already been eliminated from playoff contention. But two more teams will get knocked out this weekend and join those teams for an earlier than desired offseason.

Let's take a look at the upcoming games and my own predictions:

Winnipeg Blue Bombers 25, Toronto Argonauts 22

My pick for this game ended up being correct.

That said, I actually thought that the Blue Bombers would win a little more convincingly than they actually ended up doing.

Still, a win is a win, right? And Winnipeg, to their credit, certainly earned this one, playing on the road in Toronto.

Indeed, the Blue Bombers saw backup QB Dru Brown (starting for injured Zach Collaros) orchestrate a late touchdown drive in the fourth quarter that culminated in a touchdown with less than one minute to play. Brown found Nic Demski in the end zone for the touchdown, and found Demski yet again for the successful two-point conversion. All of that followed what proved to be the pivotal turning point, when Winnipeg's Nick Hallett punched the ball out of Argos punt returner Janarion Grant's hands. 

Up to that point, this one looked like it was going to result in a Toronto win.

With the win, the Blue Bombers advance to the East Final next weekend, where they will travel to Montreal to take on the Alouettes at BMO Field.

My pick: Accurate

BC Lions 33, Saskatchewan Roughriders 26

I had predicted a win by Saskatchewan. And when they were up 17-3 in the second quarter, it appeared that my prediction would come true.

Give credit to the BC Lions for hanging in there and mounting a solid comeback to pull off a huge win, exacting a measure of revenge on the Roughriders in the process. After all, the Lions were eliminated by these same Roughriders in last year's playoffs.

Nathan Rourke completed 21 of 32 passes for 366 yards, with three touchdowns and no INT's, providing a solid performance which helped to life the Lions past Saskatchewan in this one. Jevon Cottoy caught two crucial touchdown passes in the second half to help the Lions cause. BC's placekicker Sean Whyte successfully converted four field goal attempts

In a losing effort for Saskatchewan, quarterback Trevor Harris passed for 255 yards, while Tommy Stevens ran for a touchdown. And placekicker Brett Lauther made six field goals, including two from 55 yards. So they had some real highlights, as well.

However, it just was not enough against this BC Lions team in Vancouver this past weekend.

With the win, the Lions now head up to Edmonton to take on the Elks in the West Division Final to see who has a date in the Grey Cup.

My pick: Inaccurate