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Only the Saskatchewan Roughriders have a better record than the Stampeders this season. The teams meet in Calgary on Saturday
Published Aug 19, 2025 • Last updated 1 minute ago • 5 minute read
Calgary Stampeders quarterback Vernon Adams Jr.
Calgary Stampeders quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. speaks to reporters on Aug. 8. There have been a lot of smiles around McMahon Stadium lately. Brent Calver/Postmedia
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It seems the Calgary Stampeders are in style again.
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Heck … one of the game’s top characters in Coach Prime proudly sported a Horsemen hat during practice a few days back.
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“At first, I thought it was AI,” admitted Stampeders quarterback Vernon Adams Jr., of seeing Deion Sanders rocking a Red and White cap while coaching up the NCAA’s Colorado Buffaloes.
“I’m like, ‘Is that real?’ ” continued Adams. “And then I thought, ‘Wait … (Stamps punter) Mark (Vassett) went to Colorado. And I saw Mark’s story — he was there (over the bye week). So to our other punter, Fraser (Masin), I said, ‘You got 24 hours to get to (Ole Miss head coach) Lane Kiffin to get a hat on him.’
“So, yeah, it was pretty cool to see that.”
Adams himself is now thinking about getting something Stamps to his alma mater and on to Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning.
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Spread the good word, so to speak, that the Stampeders are back.
Because only one team is better than them in all the Canadian Football League this season.
And that’s the Saskatchewan Roughriders (8-1), who just happen to be next up to play the fresh-off-a-bye-week Stampeders (6-3) in a battle of élite CFL teams Saturday at McMahon Stadium (5 p.m., TSN, CHQR 770 AM/107.3 FM the Edge).
“Next opponent — great opponent,” added Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. “Another west opponent, understanding that in order to get to where we want to get to, we’ve got to beat these guys.
“It’d be nice to get the win. Honestly, it’s been a weird month for us. Because we played all sorts of games in July, and then this is our second game and last game that we’re going to have in August. So you just want to try to create a little bit of momentum … stack wins together. The goal for our team is to do that.”
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Read More
[Calgary Stampeders kicker Rene Paredes celebrates his game-winning field goal against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at McMahon Stadium in Calgary on Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025.
Share via email Reddit X Share on Linkedin Open more share options 5 Takeaways as last-second field goal saves Calgary Stampeders, completes sweep of Winnipeg Blue Bombers](https://calgaryherald.com/sports/5-takeaways-as-last-second-field-goal-saves-calgary-stampeders-completes-sweep-of-winnipeg-blue-bombers?itm_source=calgary-stampeders&utm_source=read-more)
2. [Calgary Stampeders wide receiver Clark Barnes was photographed during practice at McMahon Stadium on Friday, August 8, 2025. While Barnes regularly sports a #14, he had the #11 jersey on during practice. Brent Calver/Postmedia
Under the radar: Clark Barnes continues to be key part of the Calgary Stampeder offense](https://calgaryherald.com/sports/under-the-radar-clark-barnes-continues-to-be-key-part-of-the-calgary-stampeder-offense?itm_source=calgary-stampeders&utm_source=read-more)
WHY ARE THE RIDERS THE CFL’S TOP TEAM?
The Roughriders come to McMahon as the undisputed best team in the CFL.
They declawed QB Bo Levi Mitchell and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last week 29-9 in Regina to move to a whopping 8-1 on the season.
“Really they’re playing what I consider winning football — good on turnovers, good on penalties … that sort of stuff,” Dickenson said. “And they have good players and good coaches, so we’ll have to take them on.
“We’re excited for the challenge, even though we know it’s a huge challenge, I mean, but it’s always good to kind of see where you’re at in the season, especially in Week 12.”
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The Riders’ one loss was to the Stamps back on July 12. Remember that one? A smoke delay postponed the game overnight, and when all the smoke cleared, the Stamps rode off from Regina with a convincing 24-10 victory.
Mosaic Stadium in Regina
Smoke hangs over Mosaic Stadium on July 11. The game had to be played the next day. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Heywood Yu
“That was a long time ago — I don’t worry about it,” said Dickenson, on sticking to the don’t-get-too-high mentality when you’re winning. “I know Saskatchewan’s playing good football. They’ve got a lot of talent and weapons but also continuity.
“I know defensively, pretty much the same lineup’s been in most of the games. Offensively, they’ve lost some of the receiving corps, but they seem to have guys. I know (former Stamps receiver) Shawn Bain is getting healthy.”
And defensively, only the Riders have proved more staunch in allowing points than the Stampeders — but not by much. They’ve surrendered just 183 to the Stamps’ 192 for a one-point per-game-average better rate.
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“You know … their defence is really good,” added Adams. “So the d-line up front — (Jameer) Thurman and those guys — and the defensive backs are veterans, so I got to be smart with my decisions.”
Quarterbacks Vernon Adams Jr., left, and Trevor Harris
Quarterbacks Vernon Adams Jr., left, and Trevor Harris played for the Montreal Alouettes in 2022. Postmedia file photo
WHAT’S THE ADAMS-HARRIS CONNECTION?
Adams ranks fifth in passing yards on the CFL campaign with 2,213 on the season.
His decisions have been strong, and he’s right there in the conversation for the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player.
But so, too, is Riders QB Trevor Harris, who is on 2,490 yards for a shade more than Adams — including rushing totals — but with 16 TDs compared to the 12 combined for the Stamps QB.
“Trevor was the first quarterback to really sit me down and tell me, ‘This is how you’re supposed to be a quarterback. This is how you’re supposed to prepare’ and things like that,” Adams said. “So I give a lot of respect and props to Trevor, because he never held anything back from me, and I give a lot of my success to him.”
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Both played together a few years back on the Montreal Alouettes.
“He helped me especially when I was the starter,” continued Adams. “They traded for him (in 2021) to come in to essentially take over for me, and I got traded out of there (in 2022), because he was playing good football. You know … I’m saying I wasn’t ready yet. I wasn’t doing all the things I needed to do. And, like I said, he really helped me with that.
“So … ‘Appreciate you, bro, and I can’t wait to go against you this week.’”
In the Riders’ win over the East Division-leading Tiger-Cats (6-4), Harris went 21-of-27 for 307 passing yards, with three TD tosses and an interception. His main target was receiver KeeSean Johnson, who hauled in eight passes for 117 yards. And the Riders continued to shine in the running game, with backfield workhorse A.J. Ouellette popping off for 84 yards on 18 hauls.
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So the Riders offer up a balanced attack, for sure.
“We got the best team in the league coming in this week,” added Adams. So we’ve got to prepare hard this week. Keep practising hard and show up on game day in front of a great crowd.”
Stampeders receiver Damien Alford
Receiver Damien Alford is back practicing. Gavin Young/Postmedia
SHORT YARDAGE
Stampeders WR Damien Alford (hamstring) was back as a full practice participant in Tuesday’s first session back from the break. “It’s good, man,” said Adams, of the return of the rookie receiver, who torched the Roughriders for 156 yards and two TDs on six catches during the Week 6 win in Regina. “The ‘Moose is the ‘Moose’. So if my read takes me to him, the ball is going to him.” Unfortunately, WR Dominique Rhymes (quad) and WR Tevin Jones (illness) were no-shows for Tuesday’s practice … Defensively, LB Adam Bighill (knee) was a full-go for practice and waiting to see on his availability versus the Riders. And while DB Tyler Richardson (groin), the Stamps’ starting cornerback on the boundary side for the first handful of games, still hasn’t returned, DB Ben Labrosse was back practising … The Stamps have added American DB Brady Breeze to their practice roster. Breeze was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the sixth round — 215th overall — of the 2021 NFL Draft. The 27-year-old secondary star played a total of 11 games for the Titans and the Detroit Lions over the 2021 and ’22 seasons and made six tackles. The 6-foot, 200-lb. defensive back was a standout with the NCAA’s Oregon Ducks and the defensive MVP of the 2020 Rose Bowl.
tsaelhof@postmedia.com
http://www.x.com/ToddSaelhofPM
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