VANCOUVER – Mathieu Betts knows exactly what will be on the line when his B.C. Lions line up against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Friday.
asserted
Lions → know → Friday
If everything goes Saskatchewan’s way, the Riders could punch their playoff ticket this week — and the Lions are looking to stop that from happening.
uncertain
Lions → go → that
“It feels like the most important game of the year, and I’m pretty sure it’s not the last time I would tell you that this year,” Betts said.
asserted
Betts → feel → that
“At the end of the day, to get where we want to go, we need to play good football.
asserted
we → get → football
So no matter what’s at stake, we need to play good football.”
asserted
we → ’ → football
The Lions (7-6) come in with wins in six of their last seven contests, including a 48-29 victory over the Montreal Alouettes on Sept. 12 before the team headed into a bye week.
asserted
team → come → week
The Roughriders (8-5), meanwhile, sit second in the West Division and are coming off a 19-6 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Sept. 12.
asserted
Roughriders → sit → Sept.
Saskatchewan could clinch a post-season berth this week, but will need help on the out-of-town scoreboard.
uncertain
Saskatchewan → clinch → scoreboard
The Riders need the Toronto Argonauts to beat the Bombers and the winless Ottawa Redblacks to upset the Calgary Stampeders.
asserted
Redblacks → need → Stampeders
Most importantly, the Riders need a victory over the Lions.
asserted
Riders → need → Lions
A Lions win would give B.C. a tiebreaker between the two sides in an ultracompetitive West Division where the second- and fifth-place teams are currently separated by just four points.
asserted
teams → give → points
“We all understand where the standings are right now,” said Lions head coach Buck Pierce.
asserted
Pierce → understand → ?
“And both teams have put themselves in position to have everything they want in front of them, right?
asserted
they → put → them
So, two competitive teams that are playing good football … getting healthy, hopefully at the right time.
asserted
that → play → time
Friday will mark the final regular-season matchup between the two sides, and each team comes in with a win.
asserted
team → mark → win
Get breaking National news
The Riders took first blood with a 31-27 home victory on June 13 before the Lions earned a 30-16 decision in Vancouver on Aug 23.
asserted
Lions → get → Aug
B.C.’s defence has grown stronger over the course of the season, said Saskatchewan head coach Corey Mace.
asserted
Mace → grow → season
“I think just having a little bit more understanding of what they want to accomplish,” he said.
asserted
he → think → what
“I think they play very well to the pieces that they have.
asserted
they → think → that
They do a really good job, they can get after the passer, they do a bunch of stuff on the back end that makes it tough on quarterbacks, their linebackers run and hit.
asserted
linebackers → do → quarterbacks
“They’ve been doing a really good job making it tough on offences across the league.”
asserted
it → do → league
The Riders have been stingy all year, giving up a league-low 340 points.
asserted
Riders → give → points
Getting the right combination of players on defence has been an evolution, Mace said.
asserted
Mace → get → defence
“We’re doing a good job,” he said.
asserted
he → do → job
“We’ve just got to continue pushing the envelope and creating some turnovers.
asserted
We → get → turnovers
The Lions will see changes to their secondary this week after defensive backs Josh Hagerty and Ronald Kent Jr. were each suspended for following a melee in B.C.’s win over Montreal.
asserted
backs → see → Montreal
Hagerty received a two-game ban while Kent was suspended one game.
asserted
Kent → receive → ban
Alouettes defensive back Don Callis was also banned for one game and three other Alouettes players received fines.
asserted
players → ban → fines
Video of the dust up shows Hagerty punching Montreal running back Liam Talbot in the groin.
asserted
Hagerty → show → groin
Asked whether there was an extra focus on discipline in practice this week, Betts noted that discipline is how football games are won and lost.
asserted
games → ask → practice
“When we talk about discipline, it’s in your assignment,” he said.
asserted
he → talk → assignment
“Also, taking penalties, you don’t want to give away free yards …
asserted
you → take → yards
If we want to go where we want to go at the end of the year, that’s something that’s going to be really, really important on all matters, in all phases for sure.”
asserted
that → want → phases
The Lions signed American defensive backs Jordan Oladokun and Thomas Graham to the practice roster on Monday, then re-signed Robert Carter Jr. on Tuesday.
asserted
Lions → sign → Tuesday
The American defensive back returns to B.C. after attending NFL training camp with the Indianapolis Colts.
asserted
back → return → Colts
Having new bodies in the lineup doesn’t change how the defence prepares or plays, said Betts, a veteran defensive lineman.
asserted
Betts → have → lineup
“To us, it’s whoever’s asked to be playing different roles, we have to take it,” he said.
asserted
he → ’ → it
“So for us, it’s just everybody knows their assignment, know what’s going on defence, and to be ready when your name is called.
asserted
name → ’ → defence
But for us to be playing good football, it’s all about assignment, detail, communication, and playing with high energy.”
asserted
it → play → energy
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 23, 2026.
asserted
report → publish → Press
The Aporia
