VANCOUVER — It’s Tre Ford versus Nathan Rourke.
The Edmonton Elks and BC Lions will close out Week 1 on Saturday night at BC Place with the first all-Canadian quarterback matchup since 1968.
Both teams are also led by different voices to begin the season as Mark Kilam is in his first year at the helm of the Elks and Buck Pierce takes the reins as the Lions head coach.
CFL.ca brings you three keys to victory for both teams. The game kicks off at 10:00 p.m. ET and Canadian viewers can watch on TSN, while U.S. audiences can catch the action on CBS Sports. International fans can tune in to CFL+.
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EDMONTON ELKS
1. FORD UNDER FOCUS
Tre Ford will get his chance to run with the starting quarterback job from the get-go. The dynamic pivot has proven to be a threat with his arm and his legs over the course of his career. He’ll need to be nimble with defensive lineman Mathieu Betts and linebacker Micah Awe trying to keep him in the pocket, so veteran defensive backs Garry Peters and Ronald Kent Jr. can make plays downfield.
2. RANKING A RUSH THREAT
Ford isn’t the only backfield threat the Lions need to be worried about, as Justin Rankin is out to show his strong 2024 was no fluke. In his lone game against BC last season, he averaged 11 yards over seven carries.
3. TEAM DEFENCE
Shutting down BC quarterback Nathan Rourke is going to take a team effort, starting at the defensive line with Brandon Barlow, Jared Brinkman and Jake Ceresna. As they try to limit Rourke’s time, it’s the job of returnee Devodric Bynum to lead newcomers Tyrell Ford, Royce Metchie and Kobe Williams in the revamped secondary. Former Lion Emmanuel Rugamba would also love to have a good game against his former team.
BC LIONS
1. ROURKE’S RETURN
It took Nathan Rourke some time to find his footing after returning from the National Football League last season but an off-season and full training camp could mean trouble for opposing defences. Much like he has in years past, he won’t be short on options as Justin McInnis, Keon Hatcher Sr., Jevon Cottoy and Stanley Berryhill III all serve as viable targets.
2. SPECIAL TEAMS
Pierce can feel good about going to kicker Sean Whyte for field goal attempts after the veteran was successful on 50-of-53 for a 94.3 per cent success rate in 2024, the exact same percentage he completed in 2023. In a game of inches, three points can make the difference.
3. BUTLER’S REBOUND
With much of the defensive focus squarely on Rourke, it opens the door for running back James Butler to get off to a strong start in his return to the west coast. Coming off a down season where he rushed for 522 yards on 110 carries in Hamilton, Butler will look to rekindle his success in BC where he first broke out with 1,060 yards in 2022. He’s also enjoyed playing the Elks, averaging 104.9 yards per game in his career.
NEED TO KNOW:
- Lions’ offensive lineman David Foucault is expected to miss significant time with a leg injury.
- The Elks will be without defensive lineman Noah Curtis.
- BC and Edmonton split the season series 1-1 a year ago.
- Kickoff is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET.
