Dhel Duncan-Busby will arrive in Ottawa for Friday’s game knowing that he arrived against Ottawa.
The Ottawa REDBLACKS were the visiting team when he enjoyed his breakout game as a CFLer, catching seven passes for 92 yards to help the Saskatchewan Roughriders register a 29-16 home-field victory on Sept. 28, 2024.
Until that point, Duncan Busby — the Roughriders’ third-round selection (23rd overall) in the 2024 CFL Canadian Draft — had two catches for 34 yards to show for his first three games of professional football.
“Having a big game, it was definitely great for the confidence,” said Duncan-Busby, who started the Roughriders’ final six games (playoffs included) as a rookie out of Bemidji State.
Duncan-Busby followed up by starting 14 games in 2025, when he caught 29 passes for 355 yards and two touchdowns for the Grey Cup champions.
His first touchdown in the pro ranks was scored on June 28 of last year against the B.C. Lions. The 42-yard TD pass was thrown by Jake Maier, who is to start at quarterback against Saskatchewan at Ottawa’s TD Place on Friday.
“Jake’s a great guy,” Duncan-Busby said. “I obviously love him.
“It’s going to be fun. There will be a lot of (former teammates) on the other team that we’ll be going up against on the defensive side.”
Duncan-Busby is also excited about returning to the lineup after missing one game with a shoulder injury.
“Obviously, I would have loved to have been out there, but I’m feeling better now and that’s what’s important,” he said. “I’m loving it and I’m having fun being out there with the guys again.”
DISREGARD THE RECORD
The Roughriders aren’t paying any attention to the fact that they are about to face a winless opponent.
“There’s no bad football teams in the CFL,” quarterback Trevor Harris said. “It’s all good football teams.
“If you don’t bring your ‘A’ game, it can come back to bite you. The same goes for when you play us. If you don’t bring your ‘A’ game, we’ll come back and bite you. This league has a ton of parity.
“We know that (the REDBLACKS) are scrapping and fighting and clawing, and so are we.”
Ottawa has an 0-3 record. Saskatchewan is 2-1.
OLD-HOME WEEK
Harris still has warm feelings for Ottawa, where he played for the REDBLACKS from 2016 to 2018.
“It’s my second-favourite place to play in the CFL,” he said. “I love TD Place. It’s a good atmosphere, a good environment and a good area. It was rockin’ when I played there and there were definitely great times. It really feels like football there.
“It will be fun, but as long as the field is 110 yards with 20-yard end zones and there’s three-down football, we’ll go out and play no matter where it is.”
EXTRA POINTS
• The additions of receiver Johnny Johnson III and receiver/returner Mathew Sexton increase the Roughriders’ All-Time list of active-roster players to 2,169.
• Effective on Friday, 23 Johnsons will have suited up for at least one regular-season game for the Roughriders or Regina Rugby Club. Three of the Johnsons will play in Ottawa — Johnny III, KeeSean (receiver) and Daniel (offensive lineman). Johnny Johnson III steps in for Jaylen Johnson, a starting receiver for the Roughriders’ first three games this season. Jaylen has a shoulder injury.
• The Roughriders are 12-7-1 against the REDBLACKS, who debuted as an expansion team in 2014. Counting games against the Rough Riders and Renegades, Saskatchewan is 50-30-1 versus Ottawa.
• Harris is poised to play in his 199th CFL game. The 200th will be on July 12 against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (5 p.m., Mosaic Stadium). Tickets are AVAILABLE HERE.
