There most likely will be a large and boisterous crowd at Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday afternoon, the only question that remains is whether they will be a Rider crowd, or an Eskie one.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders and their legions of fans will travel to Northern Alberta for a Saturday match up with the Edmonton Eskimos, the Riders finding a fall surge towards the end of the season looking to keep pace and perhaps pass by the Calgary Stampeders in the race for second place in the CFL West.
Edmonton will have to make the most of a scheduling quirk which has the Riders arriving on a short week, having played on Monday, the Riders turn around time has not been optimum, but with the kind of roll they're on of late it may not make much of a difference.
Saskatchewan which struggled a bit in the late summer, has found their game once again, bad news for the rest of the West which now has that massive force known as Rider nation to deal with.
A collective which has no shyness in making travel plans, especially to Edmonton where the stadium is large and tickets will be easier to come by for the Rider supporters.
The host Eskimos have bounced back from their own summer doldrums, a September to forget for the legendary franchise, a month which saw them go win less through the month for the first time in team history.
The tonic for that unwanted record was a visit last week by the Hamilton Tiger Cats, who provided the Eskimos the opportunity to banish the ghosts of September and retool for a playoff push, one which with a run of the table through the final three weeks, may involve forcing the Riders or the Stamps to a crossover post eastbound.
The Esks most likely will have to make that trek themselves, but one never knows with the CFL, a hot hand can take a team a fair amount of distance. At the moment the Riders with three wins in a row have that hot hand, the Esks will have to cool them off (and render their followers silent) on Saturday if they wish to make a push for a spot in the Western playoff race.
Game Time 2 PM MT, 4 PM ET, 1 ET, Commonwealth Stadium, TSN
Saskatchewan 20 at Edmonton 37 (38,678)
Pre Game
CFL.ca-- Game Preview
CFL.ca-- Video Preview
Globe and Mail-- Eskimos release running back Cory Boyd
National Post-- Eskimos have their hands full with Weston Dressler and Kory Sheets
Edmonton Sun-- Edmonton Eskimos must seize the opportunity against short-weeked Roughriders
Edmonton Journal-- Containing Riders' lethal offensive weapons key for Eskimos
Regina Leader Post-- Saskatchewan Roughriders challenged by short week
Team Backgrounders
Saskatchewan Roughriders
Edmonton Eskimos
Post Game
CFL.ca-- Game Review
CFL.ca-- Video Review
Globe and Mail-- Kerry Joseph throws three touchdowns as Eskimos defeat Roughriders
National Post-- Roughriders miss chance to clinch playoff berth with loss to Eskimos
Edmonton Sun-- Commonwealth Stadium has been uncommonly bad for Roughriders
Edmonton Journal-- Trio of former Riders lead Eskimos to win
Regina Leader Post-- Roughriders squander playoff chance in Edmonton
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