Corey Mace arrived in Saskatchewan with a storied Labour Day tradition of his own.
The Roughriders’ first-year head coach has celebrated a victory after nine of the 10 Labour Day weekend games in which he has participated since becoming a CFLer in 2010.
As a starting defensive tackle, he helped the Calgary Stampeders defeat Edmonton in 2010 (52-5), 2012 (31-30) and 2014 (28-13).
After becoming the Stampeders’ defensive line coach, he contributed to victories over Edmonton in 2016 (45-24), 2017 (39-18), 2018 (23-20) and 2019 (25-9).
It wasn’t until 2021 — after COVID-19 resulted in the cancellation of an entire season — that Mace tasted defeat on Labour Day weekend. Edmonton edged Calgary 23-20 on Sept. 6, 2021.
Mace spent the following two seasons as the Toronto Argonauts’ defensive co-ordinator. In that capacity, he helped Toronto defeat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Labour Day in 2022 (26-8) and 2023 (41-28).
All things considered, Mace and associates have outscored the opposition 330-178 while going 9-1-0 on the final long weekend of summer.
“It’s just great teammates, great co-workers and a little bit of luck, probably,” Mace explained leading up to Sunday’s sold-out matchup with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (5 p.m., Mosaic Stadium).
“Labour Day is so much fun. In fact, the very first game I ever played in the CFL was a Labour Day game in 2010. The atmosphere was incredible.
“In my time in this league, I’ve been lucky. I’ve been a part of the Battle of Alberta and the QEW one. This will be my first exposure to the battle between us and Winnipeg.
“Being a CFL guy and a Canadian boy and being able to experience the atmosphere and the incredible fans we have in this league, I’m not saying anything until I see the next game, but I hear this is the best one. It’s going to be really fun.”
The fun began on Sept. 6, 2010, when Calgary defeated Edmonton 52-5 in Mace’s CFL debut.
“Anytime you can win, you’re happy, regardless of the score,” he said. “As long as it ends with a W, you’re happy.
“Even though I was only (in Calgary) for a week before playing, you felt what it meant for the two teams that were playing.
“With the anticipation for this one, I know the rivalry is big. I know the fans are itching for this one. With this atmosphere and this energy, you love coaching in it and I know the guys love playing in it.”
Mace played in his second career Labour Day weekend game in 2012, after missing most of the previous season due to injury.
Calgary edged Edmonton 31-30. Sartorially, Mace wouldn’t be beaten, either.
Mace vowed to outdress his teammate and roommate, Eric Fraser, as the opening kickoff approached.
“It’s a long story,” said Mace, who joined the Stampeders after spending three NFL seasons with the Buffalo Bills.
“In my Buffalo days, the vets made me buy some suit, and it was ridiculous. It was an old zoot suit-looking deal with some baby blue Stacy Adams shoes.
“It should have been tossed out right away. I wore it for giggles, but it was horrible.”
LABOUR DAY LOGJAM
One storyline for this year’s Labour Day Classic has unfolded 23.7 per cent of the time.
The Roughriders and Bombers are separated by one point as they prepare for Sunday’s game.
This will be only the 14th time in 59 Classics that the teams have been either tied or just one point apart in the standings.
“Just the fact that it’s Labour Day and it’s Winnipeg, it just says everything that needs to be said,” Mace said.
“If one of the teams was undefeated and the other one (was struggling), it wouldn’t really matter on this kind of week.
“We’re really dialed in on trying to go 1-and-0 this week against a great opponent.”
Saskatchewan (5-5-1) occupies first place in the West Division. Winnipeg and the B.C. Lions, both 5-6-0, are one point behind.
Previously, there has been a one-point differential in 1952 (Winnipeg 1-1-1; Saskatchewan 1-2-0) and 2007 (Saskatchewan 6-2-0; Winnipeg 5-2-1).
The traditional rivals have entered the Classic with identical records in 1975 (4-2-0), 1977 (4-3-0), 1988 (4-4-0), 1989 (4-4-0), 1992 (4-4-0), 1993 (6-3-0), 1999 (2-6-0), 2006 (5-5-0) and 2018 (5-4-0).
The Roughriders and Blue Bombers had identical victory and point totals at this juncture in 2005 (Saskatchewan 3-6-0; Winnipeg 3-7-0), 2018 (Saskatchewan 5-4-0; Winnipeg 5-5-0) and 2021 (Saskatchewan 3-0-0; Winnipeg (3-1-0).
There are 49 games in the books where the teams’ records have differed. The team that entered the game with the superior slate is 25-23-1. (The lone tie was in 1954.)
Saskatchewan boasts 17 of the 23 victories that have been recorded by the team that has entered the Classic with the inferior record.
Winnipeg has prevailed 14 of the 25 times the team with the better record has won the Classic.
INJURY UPDATE
Nelson Lokombo, the Roughriders’ starting safety, missed Thursday’s practice with a calf issue.
“He was just taking a day,” Mace said. “He should be OK. We just wanted to play it smart.
“We had a long week and an extra day of practice, so it’s kind of a luxury based off of the schedule that if he needed a bit to get back to the percentage in his mind where he can feel confident, that’s all right. It allowed us to get some other guys some reps, too, which is good.”
Another starter, defensive end Bryan Cox Jr., was a full participant in Thursday’s practice after being designated as limited on Wednesday due to a foot injury.
