Hamilton Tiger-Cats vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders: A Super Simple Game Preview

What’s the Big Game?

Imagine two teams of friends playing catch and run with a football. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are traveling to Regina (a city) to play the Saskatchewan Roughriders at a field called Mosaic Stadium. This game finishes Week 6 of the season and happens on Sunday night.

• Usually, Hamilton has a star player named Bo Levi Mitchell who throws the ball (he’s called the quarterback – the person who starts the play). But he got hurt, so this is the first game without him.
• Before this game, Hamilton lost a close game 14-13 to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
• Saskatchewan won their last game in Week 5, beating the Ottawa REDBLACKS 27-22, so their record is now 3 wins and 1 loss (written as 3-1).
• The game starts at 7:00 p.m. ET (Eastern Time). You can watch it on TSN if you’re in Canada, CBSSN in the USA, and CFL+ in other countries.

Important Point: Because Bo Levi Mitchell is injured, a new player must take his place. This changes how Hamilton plays!

Related Links and Helpful Stuff

If you want to look at more details, here are some helpful resources (you can click these):

• Depth Charts (like a list of who plays where): Hamilton (HAM) and Saskatchewan (SSK)
• Game Notes: Tiger-Cats at Roughriders
• Tickets: Hamilton at Saskatchewan
• Injury Reports: Stay up to date
• Pick ‘Em Game: Who’s gonna win? Play CFL Pick ‘Em presented by Old Dutch now!
• Watch Internationally: Sign up and watch CFL games on CFL+ in the U.S. and Internationally

Hamilton Tiger-Cats: Three Keys to Victory

Think of these as a to-do list for Hamilton to win.

1. The Quarterback (The Ball Thrower)

   • Jake Dolegala is the new starting quarterback because Mitchell is hurt. A “starter” is the player who begins the game in that spot.
   • He has to fill big shoes (meaning it’s a tough job), but his main job is to keep the game calm and give his team a chance to win.
   • Jake has played five seasons in the CFL (Canadian Football League). He has completed 247 throws out of 396 tries, gaining 2,953 yards (yards are like big steps on the field). Two of those seasons (2022 and 2023) were with Saskatchewan.

2. Kiondré Smith (The Catcher)

   • Hamilton just signed Kiondré Smith, a star player who catches passes (called a “receiver”), to stay with the team longer (an “extension”).
   • They hope he has a really good game. He’s been doing great all season, catching the ball and running an average of 16.5 yards each time he catches it – that’s his personal best.
3. Dominate Defensively (Stop the Other Team)
   • Hamilton’s defense (the players who try to stop the other team) has great numbers entering Week 6:
     • They allow the fewest total yards (376) – that’s first in the league.
     • They have the most “sacks” (9) – a sack is when you tackle the other team’s thrower behind the line.
     • They are tied for allowing the fewest “big plays” (7) – big plays are long throws over 30 yards or long runs over 20 yards.
   • The strong defense starts with three big front players (defensive line): Julian Howsare, Mario Kendricks Jr., and Philip Ossai. Together they made 7 of those sacks.

Saskatchewan Roughriders: Three Keys to Victory

1. The Return of AJ Ouellette (The Runner)

   • Coach Corey Mace gets help because AJ Ouellette, who runs with the ball, is back after hurting his ankle.
   • This is good timing because Hamilton has only allowed 76.3 yards per game when opponents run the ball.

2. Shut Down Larry Rountree III (Stop the Other Runner)

   • Saskatchewan wants to make Hamilton throw the ball instead of run. So they need to close the gaps (block the paths) for Hamilton’s runner Larry Rountree III.
   • The players tasked with this are defensive linemen Desmond Evans, James Vaughters, and Mike Rose.
3. The KeeSean Johnson Connection (The Smart Throwing Plan)
   • Receiver KeeSean Johnson has been awesome: in 4 games he had 3 games where he gained over 100 yards catching, including a high of 137 yards against Ottawa.
   • When he gets attention from Hamilton’s defensive backs (the players covering receivers), it leaves other catchers like Kian Schaffer-Baker and Samuel Emilus open. That helps quarterback Trevor Harris have more space to throw.

Need to Know: Quick Facts

Here are some extra important points:

• Trevor Harris (Saskatchewan’s thrower) has beaten Hamilton 11 times and lost 5 times in his career.
• Hamilton has allowed the fewest points against them: only 24.5 per game.
• Saskatchewan has won the last 4 games between these teams. The last time Hamilton won was on October 7, 2023.
• They will play each other again in Week 11 at Hamilton’s stadium.
• Kickoff is 7:00 p.m. ET, watch on TSN (Canada), CBSSN (USA), CFL+ (international).

Key Reminder: The game is Sunday night! Don’t miss it if you like football.

Summary

To wrap up: The Hamilton Tiger-Cats visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders without their usual quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell, so Jake Dolegala steps in. Hamilton relies on receiver Kiondré Smith and a strong defense. Saskatchewan welcomes back runner AJ Ouellette, aims to stop Larry Rountree III, and uses KeeSean Johnson to help Trevor Harris. The game is at 7 p.m. ET Sunday, and you can watch on TSN, CBSSN, or CFL+. Saskatchewan has won the last four meetings, but Hamilton has a tough defense. Should be fun!

FAQ (Beginner Questions)

1. What is a quarterback?
A quarterback is the player on a football team who usually starts the play by throwing the ball to a teammate or handing it off to a runner. Think of him as the team’s main planner on the field.

2. Why is Bo Levi Mitchell not playing?
He is injured (hurt). So the team named Jake Dolegala as the new starter for this game.

3. What does "sack" mean in football?
A sack happens when the defensive players tackle the opposite team’s quarterback before he can throw the ball or hand it off. It’s a good thing for the defense.

4. How can I watch the game if I live outside Canada and the USA?
You can sign up for CFL+ (the league’s streaming service) to watch internationally. The kickoff is 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday.

5. What does "extension" mean for a player like Kiondré Smith?
It means the team signed him to a new contract to stay with them longer – in this case through the 2027 season – so he won’t leave soon.