Edmonton can lock up a playoff bye while Ottawa chases its first win of the season in Week 19.
This Week's CFL Schedule
Edmonton Elks at Hamilton Tiger-Cats
| When | Friday, October 9, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET |
| Where | Tim Hortons Field, Hamilton |
| TV | TSN |
| Stream | Watch live on CFL+ |
| Line | Edmonton Elks -6.5 | O/U 61.5 |
These two just played a track meet two weeks ago, with Edmonton escaping Commonwealth Stadium 37-35. Now Hamilton gets a crack at the sweep, and the Ticats are feeling good after dumping Ottawa 34-16 last week to snap a four-game skid. Edmonton hasn't swept Hamilton in a season since 2017, and with a bye-week boost — the Elks are a perfect 2-0 coming off byes this year — they're set up to end that drought.
Justin Rankin has turned into the engine of this offense, sitting on a career-high 1,016 rushing yards and needing just 88 more scrimmage yards to top his personal best of 1,726. On the other side, Harrison Frost dropped a career-high 342 passing yards last week but is still looking for his first win against Edmonton. Hamilton's defense has been stingy through the air, allowing the fewest passing yards per game in the league (276.1), which could keep this one tighter than the total suggests — Hamilton's lone game this season has gone under.
Players to Watch:
- Cody Fajardo (Edmonton Elks, QB) — Sitting on career-highs in passing yards (4,439) and TD passes (23), and he's 7-3 all-time against Hamilton.
- Justin Rankin (Edmonton Elks, RB) — Chasing a new career mark in scrimmage yards and has been the workhorse all season.
- Kenny Lawler (Hamilton Tiger-Cats, WR) — Set season-highs in yards (132) and touchdowns (two) last week against Ottawa.
Injury Watch:
- Bo Levi Mitchell (Hamilton Tiger-Cats, QB) — Out
- Miles Fox (Hamilton Tiger-Cats, DL) — Out
- Tomari Fox (Edmonton Elks, DL) — Questionable
- Kordell Jackson (Edmonton Elks, DB) — Out
Pick: Edmonton Elks 34-24. Hamilton's missing Bo Levi Mitchell and a chunk of its front seven, and Edmonton's been money in close games (5-1 in contests decided by four points or fewer) — this one should tip the Elks' way late.
Ottawa Redblacks at BC Lions
| When | Friday, October 9, 2026 at 10:00 PM ET |
| Where | BC Place Stadium, Vancouver |
| TV | TSN |
| Stream | Watch live on CFL+ |
| Line | O/U 63.5 |
Ottawa sits at 0-15 and has lost five straight, including a 45-24 beatdown at BC's hands back in Week 13. The Lions have won eight of nine overall and seven straight at home against the Redblacks, and they're riding a three-game win streak of their own after knocking off Toronto 24-17 last week. BC is a perfect 8-0 when leading after three quarters this year — bad news for an Ottawa team that's been getting outscored badly in the second half all season.
Justin McInnis is one yard away from his third straight 1,000-yard season, and Darnell Sankey is six tackles from becoming just the second player in franchise history — joining Willie Pless — with three consecutive 100-tackle campaigns. For Ottawa, Justin Hardy is quietly building a legacy season, tied with Greg Ellingson for sixth on the franchise's all-time receiving list, while Ayden Eberhardt needs just 49 yards for his first 1,000-yard year.
Players to Watch:
- Justin McInnis (BC Lions, WR) — One yard from his third straight 1,000-yard season.
- Darnell Sankey (BC Lions, LB) — Chasing a piece of franchise history with his tackle total.
- Justin Hardy (Ottawa Redblacks, WR) — Climbing the franchise's all-time receiving charts even in a lost season.
Injury Watch:
- Chris Schleuger (BC Lions, OT) — Out
- Levi Bell (BC Lions, DL) — Out
- David Gusta (BC Lions, DL) — Out
- Nathan Cherry (BC Lions, DL) — Questionable
- Blessman Ta'Ala (Ottawa Redblacks, DL) — Out
- Muftah Ageli (Ottawa Redblacks, DL) — Out
- Travian Blaylock (Ottawa Redblacks, DB) — Out
Pick: BC Lions 41-17. Ottawa's banged up on the defensive line and still hunting for win No. 1, while BC's rolling with momentum and a stranglehold on this series.
CFL Standings
| Team | W | L | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montreal Alouettes | 12 | 3 | 535 | 420 |
| Edmonton Elks | 11 | 4 | 470 | 382 |
| BC Lions | 9 | 6 | 452 | 398 |
| Toronto Argonauts | 9 | 7 | 462 | 455 |
| Saskatchewan Roughriders | 8 | 7 | 430 | 408 |
| Calgary Stampeders | 8 | 8 | 572 | 541 |
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 7 | 8 | 383 | 419 |
| Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 5 | 11 | 396 | 474 |
| Ottawa Redblacks | 0 | 15 | 355 | 558 |
Quick Hits
- Edmonton added receiver Jalon Calhoun to its practice roster, giving the offense another body to develop down the stretch.
- BC's defensive line took a hit this season with Jonah Tavai landing on injured reserve, but the Lions have managed to stay stout up front anyway.
- Fantasy angle: Justin Rankin's workload makes him a must-start with a career-high season on the line against a Hamilton defense that's been shredded on the ground.
- Ottawa's been forced to shuffle its roster constantly, with multiple IR moves and activations (Ethan Jordan, Scott Hutter, Nyles Morgan) just trying to keep bodies on the field during the winless skid.
Standings | Full Schedule | League Leaders
Who wins this week? Drop your picks in the comments.