Trevor Harris has a suggestion for CFL fans: Buckle up for Saturday’s West Division final.

The veteran quarterback from Saskatchewan believes the Roughriders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers are equally hungry and motivated for victory.

“(The Blue Bombers) have been to the Gray Cup the last two times and didn’t win it, so I think their mindset is to get back there and win,” Harris said Friday. he said. “And they can’t win the Gray Cup unless they win (Saturday).

“And, I think we’re as hungry as you can get as a team. We’re as locked in and focused as we possibly can be, so if you’re not on the schedule (Saturday), and I’m a CFL fan, I think it’s going to be a pulse-pounding, heavyweight fight.”

Saturday’s contest between the Bombers (11-7) and `Riders (9-8) has no favorites, but Winnipeg will be buoyed by a sellout crowd of 32,343 at Princess Auto Stadium for the fifth consecutive year.

Saskatchewan hosted the Bombers in mid-July and posted a 19-9 victory, but Winnipeg defeated them 35-33 in Regina on September 1 and 26-21 at home a week later.

Homegrown star running back Brady Oliveira will be key to Winnipeg’s game plan.

Oliveira, the CFL’s most outstanding player this season and a candidate for Canada’s top honors, led the league in rushing for 1,353 yards on 239 carries, including three touchdowns. He also caught 57 passes for 476 yards with one TD.

But playing with Saskatchewan and its top-tier defense didn’t provide Oliveira with many highlights.

He rushed for just 49 yards on the first play, 42 on the second, and 43 on the third.

“I’m going to continue to be who I have been in every game all season long: consistent, physical, and going out there and honoring my teammates,” Oliveira said.

If Winnipeg has to go on a blitz, Saskatchewan defenseman Rolan Milligan Jr. ready to help keep the momentum going.

He is the West Division’s most outstanding defender. Milligan led the league with eight interceptions and added 10 pass knockdowns.

“Everyone knows what kind of defense we play,” said Milligan, whose group leads the league with a plus-26 turnover rate.

“Getting the ball is one of the biggest things for us. The last time we played them we couldn’t do that and I think that played a big part in us losing the game.”

Saskatchewan’s running game faces the duo of AJ Ouellette and Ryquell Armstead.

Both teams overcame long periods of defeat and significant injuries, but bounced back in time for the play-offs.

Winnipeg opened the season with four straight losses and then went on an eight-game winning streak. The Blue Bombers won the regular season finale and moved to the top of the standings.

Saskatchewan went through a stretch that included six losses and one draw. However, the Roughriders won five of their last six games, including the West’s semifinal victory over the BC Lions.

“There’s a lot of value in this,” Saskatchewan head coach Corey Mace said. “There was a point when I realized there was something special about our situation, when I saw how the players reacted.

“No finger-pointing. Everyone just wanted to keep their heads down and find a way to find a way.”

If the Blue Bombers beat Saskatchewan, they will join the elite CFL bracket. Only three teams in league history have made five consecutive Gray Cup appearances.

“It’s been a very special journey, for sure,” said Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros. “Historically speaking that’s really great, but the focus is on tomorrow.”

The club captured a pair of national championships when Winnipeg defeated the Roughriders in both the 2019 and ’21 West finals. The last two league final wins were against the BC Lions and were followed by Gray Cup defeats.

“It’s always hard to stay on top because there’s a target behind you at the top,” Bombers linebacker Willie Jefferson said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.