EDMONTON - Today marks the much anticipated start of the Canadian Football League season for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who take on the Edmonton Elks at Commonwealth Stadium.
A large crowd of over 30,000 is expected, as both teams hope to kick off 2023 on a winning note following losing seasons last year. For the Elks, they hope to break the longest home losing streak in CFL history, currently at 17 games.
The contest also once again features the storylines of Elks Head Coach Chris Jones taking on his former club in the Roughriders.
For the Roughriders, they hope to start the season riding the same momentum that carried them to two preseason wins over BC and Winnipeg.
This past week saw some major decisions from Head Coach Craig Dickinson and General Manager Jeremy O'Day. Last Saturday saw the team release a number of players on cutdown day, including notables such as National running back Kienan LaFrance and American defensive lineman Stefen Banks.
Most notably, all four of the quarterbacks competing for roster spots survived cutdown day. According to the depth chart for the season opening game, Trevor Harris will make his first regular season start at quarterback for the Roughriders, and he is backed up by Mason Fine and Shea Patterson.
Quarterback Jake Dolegala has been placed on the one game injured list, along with wide receiver Tevin Jones, linebacker Derrick Moncrief and place kicker Kaare Vedvik. Placed on the six game injured list are OL Philip Blake, WR Brayden Lenius, DB Godfrey Onyeka and WR Kian Schaffer-Baker.
Game time is 5 p.m.; the game will be shown on TSN and TSN+.
