Looking at the most exciting games on the 2021 CFL schedule
Last Friday, the Canadian Football League released its schedule for a propsed 2021 regular season.
With vaccines expected to arrive north of the border in the new year, there’s renewed optimism that we will get football this coming summer, after the league was forced to cancel its 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This schedule will look different from those that we’ve gotten used to in the CFL.
Per the League, some additional notes from the 2021 schedule include:
A rematch of the 2019 Grey Cup to kick off the regular season, with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats visiting the defending champion Blue Bombers on Thursday, June 10.
An additional divisional match-up per team to build regional rivalries while reducing travel for players.
A full slate of classic match-ups on Labour Day Weekend, with the Montreal Alouettes visiting the Ottawa REDBLACKS on Friday, September 3, the Bombers hosting the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Sunday, September 5, and a doubleheader on the holiday, Monday, September 6, with the Toronto Argonauts visiting Hamilton and the Edmonton Football Club visiting the Calgary Stampeders.
Thanksgiving football is back on Monday, October 11 when the REDBLACKS visit the Alouettes.
A regular-season finale on Saturday, October 30 that features two divisional matchups that could decide playoff seeding, with the Alouettes in Toronto and Edmonton visiting the Bombers.
Playoffs on Sunday, November 7 and Sunday, November 14 leading to the 108th Grey Cup in Hamilton on Sunday, November 21.
With CFL free agency still on the horizon, there’s a chance that these teams could look different from what they were supposed to be in 2020. However, we’re going to go ahead with these predictions with the rosters as they currently are.
With the current world outlook — and several provinces going into lockdown in November — the league will be preparing for every scenario.
With that being said, if there is a full season, here are the matchups that look most exciting in my books:
Photo: Candice Ward/CFL.ca
Week 1: Hamilton at Winnipeg
As eluded to earlier, the 2021 CFL campaign will open with a rematch of the 107th Grey Cup between the champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at IG Field.
Heading into the Grey Cup game in Calgary last year, both teams were on a roll. The Ticats ran roughshod on the league for the majority of the year, finishing with a franchise-best 15-3 record. On the other sideline, the Bombers had managed to play spoiler as the West’s third seed, walking into Calgary and Saskatchewan, respectively, and beating the Stamps and Riders to punch their ticket to the big game.
By now, we all know how the game played out. The Winnipeg defence came out of the gates firing on all cylinders, with Most Outstanding Defensive Player Willie Jefferson leading the way with two tackles, three sacks and a pair of forced fumbles. With the victory, the Bombers snapped their 29-year-long championship drought — the longest in the league at that time.
Andrew Harris was the first man to win both the game’s Most Valuable Player and Most Valuable Canadian honours after scoring two touchdowns and finishing with 169 all-purpose yards.
It was a sweet bit of revenge for the Bombers, who had lost both of their matchups with Hamilton during the regular season.
Both teams saw some turnover during the off-season, but Hamilton bulked up what was already a solid roster. They maintained their big pieces, like Jeremiah Masoli, Ja’Gared Davis, Dylan Wynn and Ted Laurent, and they added some key talent in the form of receiver DeVier Posey and linebackers Larry Dean and Patrick Levels.
Speaking of Masoli, it was in the Tabbies’ Week 7 matchup with the Blue Bombers where he was lost for the season with a torn ACL.
Week 2: Hamilton vs. Toronto
With the increased frequency of divisional games this upcoming season, the Argonauts and Tiger-Cats will meet up four times during the regular season — twice during Week 13.
However, it’s the first matchup of the season that will set the tone for the entire series to follow. These two bitter rivals went head to head in Week 2 of the 2019 season as well. Hamilton rolled into BMO and steamrolled the Argos, winning by 50 points.
The Ticats would also take the other two meetings in what was a tough season for the Boatmen as a whole. This game will serve as the first look at their new-look roster, built by new general manager Michael ‘Pinball’ Clemons and vice president of player personnel John Murphy.
Toronto put a large focus on bringing in national players, and individuals from the Toronto area in particular, notably, receivers Natey Adjei and Juwan Brescacin — along with first-round pick Dejon Brissett.
That will just bring some extra fire to one of the best rivalries in the league.
This is a measuring stick game for Toronto, who definitely improved roster-wise this past off-season. Now they get to see how they stack up against the team that’s still considered the class of the East.
Week 4: Calgary at Saskatchewan (Canada Day)
What’s better than Canada Day at Mosaic Stadium?
How about Canada Day game at Mosaic featuring two of the best signal-callers in the league.
Bo Levi Mitchell has been the epitome of elite quarterback play in the CFL since becoming the full-time starter for the Stampeders, but with his injury in Week 3 of the 2019 campaign, the door was opened for a new pivot to have a breakout and become one of the faces of the league.
As it turned out, that man would be Cody Fajardo — who was thrust into a starting position for the RIders after Zach Collaros went down on their first drive of the season.
Fajardo was initially expected to fill the gap while the veteran starter got back to full strength, but after just a few games, Saskatchewan had seen enough to make the 28-year-old their quarterback of the future, trading Collaros to Toronto in July.
When Mitchell returned from his injury in Week 12, he helped get Calgary back on track and had the team battling with the Riders for the West Division crown right to the end. Saskatchewan came out in first, but the Stamps had some momentum as the second seed.
Neither team was able to make it to the Grey Cup, but Fajardo was named as a finalist for the Most Outstanding Player honours at the CFL Awards.
This will be the second time that Fajardo and Mitchell face off. Bo is arguably the face of the league while Fajardo is looking to prove that 2019 wasn’t a one off. They’ll have all eyes on them in Riderville on Canada Day.
Week 7: Winnipeg at Calgary
Winnipeg’s magical run to the Grey Cup in 2019 started with a dismantling of the Stampeders in front of their home faithful at McMahon Stadium.
The dual-threat quarterback attack of Zach Collaros and Chris Streveler was just too much for Calgary to handle, and the Bombers ran away with the game in the second half on the strength of a 71-yard touchdown reception by Darvin Adams and a 24-yard scoring scamper by Streveler.
That definitely didn’t sit well with Bo Levi Mitchell and the rest of the Stamps, who missed out on appearing in the Western Final for the first time since 2011.
To make matters worse, the Bombers returned to McMahon and hoisted the cup on the Stamps’ home field just two weeks later.
This will be the first meeting of the season, and both teams have made changes since their last clash. Collaros is the lone pivot for the Blue and Gold, with Streveler signing with the Arizona Cardinals and Matt Nichols moving on in free agency.
Calgary lost receivers Reggie Begelton (NFL), Juwan Brescacin (TOR) and running backs Don Jackson (HAM) and Terry Williams (EDM) during the off-season. They’ll look to 2019 breakout rusher Ka’Deem Carey to pick up the touches lost in the backfield. As for the passing game, Kamar Jorden will be back full-time after suffering a devastating injury back in 2018 — he did play in the West Semi-Final against Winnipeg in 2019. In addition, the Stamps also have rookie standout Hergy Mayala and 2020 draftee Trivel Pinto.
Winnipeg has gotten the best of Calgary in their last two matchups. After their season ended weeks sooner than they envisioned, Calgary will be ready for this rematch.
Photo: Arthur Ward/CFL.ca
Week 10: Ottawa at Calgary
In Week 3 in 2019, Stamps star pivot Bo Levi Mitchell went down with what would turn out to be a long-term pectoral injury. He had two different stints on the injured list as a result. During that game, backup Nick Arbuckle stepped in and helped the Stamps pull out a thrilling victory over the BC Lions at McMahon Stadium.
Arbuckle got seven starts after that, and he managed to do a solid job steering the ship while Mitchell was on the mend, going 4-3 over that span.
The 26-year-old was out of a contract at season’s end and was viewed as arguably the best quarterback on the open market. It didn’t take long for him to find a new home. The Ottawa REDBLACKS and new head coach Paul LaPolice acquired Arbuckle’s rights in a deal that would also see the teams swap first-round picks.
Arbuckle signed a two-year deal with the REDBLACKS on Jan. 31.
Now, there’s no hard feelings or bad blood with Arbuckle and the Stamps. With Mitchell firmly in control of the offence in Calgary, it was time for Arbuckle to move on and look for his opportunity to be a starter elsewhere. Ottawa offered that opportunity. However, Calgary did give him his start in the league, and he spent the last two seasons learning under Mitchell and head coach Dave Dickenson. So as the man at the helm for the REDBLACKS, it’ll be nice to see what Arbuckle can do against a defence that he knows well.
This matchup will be centred around Arbuckle vs. Mitchell, and it should provide for an exciting matchup out West.
Week 11: Montreal at Edmonton
In any other year, a matchup between the Alouettes and Football Team may not stand out on a schedule, but after the 2019 playoffs, it’s certainly a game to keep an eye on.
Montreal managed to make it to the postseason for the first time since 2014, and they drew a home contest in the Eastern Semi-Final against Edmonton.
The Alouettes were a favourite heading into the game, but Trevor Harris had other ideas. The veteran quarterback had one of the best days in CFL playoff history, completing 22 consecutive passes at one point — that is one shy of the league record set by Jeremiah Masoli back in 2016.
In a shootout between two extremely eciting squads, it was the visitors coming out on the winning end, silencing the Percival-Molson Memorial Stadium faithful in the process.
One of the lasting moments from that game was offensive lineman Kristian Matte consoling a sobbing Adams following the game.
“No one expected s--- from you the entire year. Nobody expected s--- from any of us,” he said. “We’ve got something to build on. You’ve given us something to build on and believe in.”
And Montreal absolutely believes in No. 8, as he’ll be the man under centre for the future. The Als are going to have their sights set on the Ticats and beating them out for first in the East in 2021.
This game won’t happen in Montreal, but the Als could still get a measure of revenge with a victory at Commonwealth.
Week 13 & 14: Winnipeg vs. Saskatchewan
You know you’re getting to the backstretch of the year once the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders start to go head-to-head. Many players have said that Labour Day Weekend is the time where the intensity ramps up ahead of the playoffs, and this matchup is the crown jewel in the CFL.
Week 13 will see the two foes go toe-to-toe at Mosaic Stadium for the traditional Labour Day Classic, followed up by the Banjo Bowl Game in Winnipeg in Week 14.
Last season, the Riders took home the first meeting with a walk-off field goal from Brett Lauther. A week later, Chris Streveler led a Bombers attack that took home the hardware in front of the IG Field faithful.
The rivalry was turned up during the Western Final, when the Riders were knocking on the door in the final minute of the game before a Cody Fajardo pass hit the upright on third down, ending Saskatchewan’s season.
“For me, the only thought was, ‘Don’t throw that ball short and get stopped and lose the game that way.’ I’d rather throw the ball in the end zone and give our guys a chance,” Fajardo said to me back in June. “The game was sold out but it was dead silent when the ball went near and I just remember hearing the echo of the goalpost.
“I collapsed because of all the hard work the team did and the hard work that I did to get back to that game and all the hard work we did to get back into the game. The fact that it hit the goalpost and I have no idea what would’ve happened — if Swerve (Kyran Moore) had caught it or if it would’ve been picked or incomplete — still haunts me to this day. There’s no closure to that.”
The best revenge is success, and the Riders will be highly motivated after being sent home by their rivals in front of their home fans.
These are the only two matchups between the West Division rivals this upcoming season, so it’s not only bragging rights up for grabs. These games could have some big implications on the standings at the end of the year.
Week 13: Edmonton at Calgary
The final game of Labour Day Weekend will be played at McMahon Stadium
Like the Bombers and Riders, Calgary and Edmonton play a home-and-home that starts on Labour Day. This matchup was a big deal last season, as it signalled the return to action for Bo Levi Mitchell, who was sidelined with his aforementioned injury up until Week 12. This was the first time that he was able to matchup with Trevor Harris since he signed with Edmonton.
Calgary came out and won on home field in 2019 and then took the second half of the back-to-back at Commonwealth Stadium a Week later. But that time, it was Harris who went down with his own long-term injury that saw him sit out until the team’s final game of the regular season.
With both pivots back to full strength, we’ll have a chance to watch two of the league’s best go shot for shot in a game that’ll be a big deal in the standings. Edmonton is going to be looking to get a couple of wins on their record at the hands of their provincial rival.
There are new faces on the Edmonton sideline, with Scott Milanovich taking over this off-season following the dismissal of Jason Maas. The Football Team lost some pieces in free agency, but expect them to be ready to go for this game. Labour Day will be the one date circled on their calendar.
Week 13: Montreal at Ottawa
Two teams that are used to watching Labour Day Weekend from home will be right in the thick of the action in 2021.
The Montreal Alouettes and Ottawa REDBLACKS will be facing off at TD Place on the Friday before one of the biggest days on the CFL’s calendar, and it’ll provide us with a matchup between two of the up-and-coming squads in the league.
Montreal became a team that nobody could deny last season, with Vernon Adams Jr. becoming one of the league’s breakout stars with his dual-threat ability through the air and on the ground. Under new head coach Khari Jones, the team had a new identity and looked like they were having fun every single game.
They finished the year with a 10-8 record, good for second in the East Division and their first playoff berth since the 2014 season. On top of that, they were able to host a playoff game. They did ultimately drop that game to Edmonton, but they proved that the future was bright and the team was one to keep an eye on for the future.
In the off-season, Danny Maciocia was named the new general manager of the organization and Mario Cecchini was also brought in to be the Als’ president. Maciocia focused on bringing back the team’s pending free agents while bringing some local talent into the fold. He made it clear that the Alouettes didn’t have an abundance of cap space to work with.
Adams was signed to a deal through 2022 and Eugene Lewis re-upped with the team. They did lose DeVier Posey (HAM), Patrick Levels (HAM) and Chris Ackie (TOR), but they made some solid additions, mainly on the defensive side of the ball. Money Hunter and Tyquwan Glass were brought in from Edmonton, Tyrell Sutton returned after a season in Hamilton and trusted pass-catcher Naaman Roosevelt was brought in from Saskatchewan. Defensive linemen Adrian Tracey and Junior Luke were brought in to solidify the trenches and Kevin Fogg will bring some extra experience to the secondary.
Ottawa’s main move for the year was Arbuckle, but they did load up defensively on the first day of free agency, landing defensive lineman Cleyon Laing, linebacker Don Unamba and defensive back Abdul Kanneh. Anthony Coombs was brought in to shore up the backfield, but the REDBLACKS also lost receivers Dominique Rhymes and Caleb Holley to BC. They also went defence-heavy in the draft, so the offensive side will be more of a question mark going into 2021.
The REDBLACKS will be looking to prove that 2019 was a one-off with new head coach Paul LaPolice at the helm. It’ll be a process to turn this team around, but if anyone can do it, it’s LaPo.
With Adams Jr. and Arbuckle going head-to-head in this matchup, we’ll get a good look at the future of the league. These are two teams that are trying to knock at the door of contention in the East, and they’re both trying to make strides towards being at Hamilton’s level with every passing year.
Photo: Argonauts.ca
Week 16: Winnipeg at Toronto
The defending champions will also have something to prove in their return to Toronto. During their last trip to BMO Field, they blew a 20-0 lead, with the Double Blue taking the lead with just seconds left on the clock.
But that’s not why this game is on the list.
After taking home the Grey Cup, the Bombers had a choice to make at quarterback. Matt Nichols, Zach Collaros and Chris Streveler were all set to become free agents. Streveler swiftly signed with Arizona — where he now serves as the backup to Kyler Murray. The team decided to let Nichols walk, making their decision clear, with Collaros being re-signed as the man for the future.
With Nichols free to weigh his options, he quickly found a home in Toronto with the Argonauts on a three-year deal.
When I talked to Nichols back in July, he was thankful that the Argos put their faith behind him, despite an injury that forced him to miss the back half of the 2019 campaign.
“The second that I was free, I had about an hour-long conversation with John Murphy,” Nichols said. “He told me how much they believed in me and respected what I had done. They didn’t care about the fact that I was technically injured at the time. They were looking more towards what I could bring to the team this year and for years moving forward.
“I could feel how much they wanted me, and at this point in my career, what I wanted was a team that believed in me and can respect the amount of games I’ve won.”
That last part really stuck out to me. As the man that help run the offence for the past five seasons, Nichols was the odd man out this off-season. He’ll be motivated to prove he’s still one of the league’s best pivots with this new offensive unit. He’ll have more than enough time to ramp up for this outing.
Week 16: Edmonton at BC
Based on their start to the year, it was hard to see the BC Lions pushing for a postseason spot.
After 11 games, they were 1-10. But then, they caught a streak of hot play, winning four straight games to push them within striking distance of the final crossover playoff spot for the East. But they had to chase down Edmonton, who was treading water with Trevor Harris on the injured list.
A mini rivalry of sorts started to end the year, with the two teams vying for the chance to head out East for the playoffs. The Lions’ dwindling playoff hopes came down to a clash with the Football Team in Week 18. Unfortunately for BC, it wasn’t in the cards, as Edmonton came out on top by a 19-6 score.
This year’s game should prove to have some more fireworks than the last meeting between the two teams. Trevor Harris missed that contest while recovering from the injury he’d suffered in Week 13 and Mike Reilly went down with what would turn into a season-ending injury in the first half of the game..
It won’t be Logan Kilgore versus Danny O’Brien this time around. Reilly and Harris — two of the best pivots the CFL has to offer — will once again be back to full health and will be ready to go shot for shot again. With both teams expected to compete for the crossover spot again this year, the Week 16 clash will have that playoff feeling.