Saskatchewan Roughriders (7-5-0)
at Toronto Argonauts (3-8-0)
Saturday, 5 p.m., BMO Field
CKRM, TSN
THE FORECAST: Environment Canada is calling for a mainly cloudy day with a high of 16 C and a clear night with a low of 7 C.
THE LOWDOWN: The Roughriders and Argonauts are to meet for the second time this season. Saskatchewan won 27-19 when the teams tangled at Mosaic Stadium on June 15 — the Roughriders’ fourth straight regular-season victory over the Argos … Things have changed significantly for the Argos since that Week 1 meeting. Ricky Ray, who started at quarterback in that game, suffered a neck injury on June 23 and hasn’t played since. McLeod Bethel-Thompson now is Toronto’s starter … This is the Roughriders’ first visit to BMO Field since Nov. 19, when they faced the Argos in the Eastern Final. A one-yard touchdown plunge by Cody Fajardo with 23 seconds left in regulation time lifted Toronto to a 25-21 victory and, the following week, the Argos beat the Calgary Stampeders to win the Grey Cup … Saskatchewan is coming off a 30-25 loss to the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday. Toronto had a bye last weekend, but lost three straight games before that.
THE RIDERS’ ROSTER: Quarterback Zach Collaros, who began his CFL career with the Argos in 2012, started against Toronto in Week 1 and helped lead the Roughriders to the victory. Collaros is to make his ninth start of the season on Saturday … Tre Mason gets the start at tailback, with Marcus Thigpen getting spot duty. The duo has combined for 871 yards rushing this season … The Roughriders’ receiving corps once again comprises Shaq Evans, Kyran Moore, Naaman Roosevelt, Josh Stanford and Jordan Williams-Lambert. Devon Bailey, who missed the previous three games due to injury, and Brian Jones are the backups. Rob Bagg has been placed on the one-game injured list … Saskatchewan’s offensive line is the same unit that faced Ottawa, with Dan Clark at centre, Brendon LaBatte and Dariusz Bladek at guard, and Takoby Cofield and Thaddeus Coleman at tackle. Josiah St. John is the sixth man … The Roughriders’ defence didn’t record a sack against Ottawa, snapping Saskatchewan’s string of games with at least one quarterback takedown at nine. The only two games in which the Roughriders haven’t had a sack this season were against Ottawa … The starting D-line facing the Argos is to comprise Charleston Hughes and Willie Jefferson as the ends and Mic’hael Brooks and Zack Evans as the tackles. Tobi Antigha, Chad Geter, Makana Henry, Curt Maggitt, Jordan Reaves and Eddie Steele are on the roster as backups … Reaves takes the roster spot of fullback Albert Awachie, who has been put on the practice roster … Weak-side linebacker Sam Eguavoen is having a fine season and entered the week tied for fifth in the league in defensive plays with 77. His all-around campaign is reminiscent of the one turned in by former Rider Jerrell Freeman in 2011, when he was voted the West Division’s most outstanding defensive player … Joining Eguavoen as the starting linebackers are Derrick Moncrief and Sam Hurl, with Cameron Judge in the rotation … The starting secondary features one change this week, with cornerback Crezdon Butler coming off the one-game injured list and Matt Elam going on the six-game injured list. The rest of the starting group comprises Nick Marshall on the other corner, Ed Gainey and Loucheiz Purifoy as the halfbacks and Mike Edem at safety. Jovon Johnson is the backup … Edem had a stellar game against the Redblacks, recording seven defensive tackles, two special-teams stops and one tackle for a loss … Punter Josh Bartel, kicker Brett Lauther and long-snapper Jorgen Hus will again be the specialists, with Moore and Thigpen as the primary returners … Geter, Alexandre Gagne and Alexandre Chevrier are having outstanding seasons on the Roughriders’ cover teams despite being CFL neophytes. Gagne and Geter are tied for fifth in the league with 13 special-teams tackles, while Chevrier is tied for 14th with 10 such stops.
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