For the first time this season, you get the sense it feels like a critical clash that will have major ramifications down the line. Winners of two straight contests, the BC Lions venture across the Rocky Mountains for a Thursday night meeting with the Calgary Stampeders. Facing another short turnaround and road trip on the heels of playing on Saturday, the Lions will once again be tested. But if anything is evident in this 2026 campaign, this team has proven to overcome adversity and any quirks in the schedule. We now present our 5 Things To Know Game Preview.
Game 9: BC Lions (3-5) at Calgary Stampeders (4-5).
Thursday, August 13.
6:00 pm PT, McMahon Stadium.
TV: Canada: TSN, RDS2; U.S.: CBS Sports Network.
Stream: CFL+ ( International).
Radio: 730 CKNW/Lions Audio Network/Sher-E- Punjab Radio AM 600.
Western Race Heats Up
This matchup has the potential to be one of those “big swing” type of games. Even with half of the Lions’ season to play, once it’s all over. After already dropping the first meeting to Calgary way back in late June in Kelowna, a win for the Lions would not only keep the season-series alive for tiebreaking purposes, it would firmly plant them in control for one of the three playoff spots available in the Division. Make no mistake, this is still a Lions team that has aspirations of finishing as high as they can and being a contender once November draws closer. But to achieve that, a win in Week 11 is paramount. The Lions and Stampeders will meet for a third time on October 17, also in Cowtown.
A Jolt For The Return Game?
It’s no secret that the Lions’ up-and-down special teams unit has severely lacked production in the return game, ever since Seven McGee went down with an injury back in the regular season opener. Stanley Berryhill is slated to return to the lineup in place of Jaden Williams. The charismatic Berryhill went down with his injury in the opener in Regina after racking up 63 yards on three kickoff returns and a pair of punt returns that went for 17 yards. It can’t hurt to inject some new blood into that unit. The Lions entered this week last in the CFL in both average punt return (10.3 yards) and average kickoff return (18.1 yards). Berryhill will start at slotback, meaning it will be interesting to see who handles most of the return work between him and Jermain Jackson.
The Big Battle Up Front
As we’ve seen throughout this season and in the three memorable meetings in 2025, including the thrilling Western Semi-Final, the Stampeders’ defensive front is downright nasty. With the likes of Clarence Hicks, Jaylon Hutchings and Folarian Orimolade causing havoc up front, Calgary leads the CFL with 20 sacks and three defensive touchdowns. If there’s a major positive from a Lions perspective, it’s the fact this offensive line continues to get better every week. Protecting Nathan Rourke and giving him options in the Run-Pass Option game is going to be a major key to another win on the road. The trenches will be fascinating, especially if the Lions can pound the rock with Zander Horvath and James Butler.
Containing The (V)Aerial Attack
Vernon Adams Jr. enters this game as the CFL’s leader with 21 touchdown passes and didn’t throw an interception until last week in Toronto. He’d previously set the CFL record for the number of touchdown passes to start a season before recording an interception. As we know, when VA is on, he is tough to contain. It should serve as a good test for the improved Lions’ secondary in this matchup of elite quarterbacks. As we’ve chronicled in our recent game discussions, the Lions’ defence has improved on the strength of an improved pass rush. Should Mathieu Betts, Levi Bell and company be able to get to Adams and force him to get the ball out quickly, it will pay dividends for those playing on the back end.
What They’re Saying
“Super confident. Like you said, back-to-back wins. But it doesn’t matter; it’s a different team, different defensive coordinator and making sure that we know we played them in Kelowna and came up short there, but making sure we take a lot from that game, learn from our mistakes and making sure when we go to Calgary, we get the job done.”- Jevon Cottoy on not being content after two straight wins.
“One of the best front sevens in the league. They do a great job. They’re playing well on the back end; they take the ball away and they pressure the quarterback without technically bringing extra pressure. Offensively, first-down production is important. You have to stay out of second-and-long situations. When you have opportunities, you have to make those plays. It’s a team that you’ll have to make off-schedule plays. Just saying you’re going to drop back and run your offence is a difficult task. So, we’ve got to make sure we stay on the field, we generate first downs and we’re able to stay multiple.”- Buck Pierce on the challenges Calgary brings.
Your Lions depth chart ahead of tomorrow’s game 🦁 pic.twitter.com/3a610QenAi
— BC LIONS (@BCLions) August 12, 2026
Extra Points
The Lions have won five of their last six meetings at McMahon Stadium. Thursday marks the 212th meeting between these two rivals, dating back to the Lions joining the WIFU in their inaugural season of 1954.
Outside of the Berryhill for Williams swap, the only other roster changes see 2026 first-round pick Nate Demontagnac draw in for fellow rookie draft choice Nick Cenacle, while rookie linebacker Chase Henning is in after fullback Jacob Bond heads to the one-game injured list (Knee). Demontagnac suffered his shoulder injury way back in the pre-season opener at Langford while diving for a ball. The squad certainly does not have a shortage of options when it comes to Canadian receivers.
On that front, Cottoy and Justin McInnis, 109 and 159 yards, respectively, last week, were the first Canadian tandem to break the century mark in the same game since Montreal’s Tyson Philpot and Kaion Julien-Grant on June 20, 2024.
Rourke enters this week with 98 career touchdowns (78 passing, 20 rushing) and is soon to become only the second Canadian after Russ Jackson (239, 185 pass, 54 rush) to reach 100.
Mike Benevides’ defensive unit enters this matchup number one in the CFL with 345.1 yards allowed per game. They’ve been much better against the run during this latest stretch, allowing 3.8 yards per carry. They face a nice test this week against Dedrick Mills.