The work is done. The waiting is almost over. And for Saskatchewan Roughriders’ quarterback Trevor Harris, kickoff Saturday can’t come soon enough.
“Game day, get here, please,” Harris said with a grin following the team’s final practice ahead of the CFL’s West Final against the B.C. Lions. “You finish the work day on Day Three and it’s like that — come on, let’s just get to game day.”
There’s no mistaking the energy around Mosaic Stadium this week. After a season that’s seen the Roughriders reclaim their status among the league’s elite, they now stand one win away from returning to the Grey Cup.
And as Harris put it bluntly, this year feels different.
“We’re the big dogs,” he said. “Last year, it was that storm-the-castle mentality, but this year it’s more business-like. We expect to be here.”
A year ago, the Riders were the underdog entering the West Final in Winnipeg. This year, the Riders clinched first place in the West Division for the first time since 2019 and are slight favourites entering Saturday’s contest with the Lions. The 39-year-old veteran understands that with home-field advantage comes expectation.
“Winnipeg ran the West for quite a while. We visited their place last year, trying to take the reins, but fell short. This year, B.C.’s coming here and it should be a heavyweight tilt. It’s going to be fun.”
That fun, Harris cautioned, won’t come without focus. He knows a game of this magnitude often comes down to the smallest moments: an untimely turnover, a key stop, a perfect throw under pressure.
“Ultimately, it’s about who deals with the elements best, who handles those big moments, those unexpected plays. I think this locker room is built for moments like this.”
The quarterback credits the team’s leadership group — from general manager Jeremy O’Day to head coach Corey Mace for shaping the culture that’s made the Riders one of the CFL’s most resilient outfits.
“It takes time to build that. Last year, we had a good culture. This year, we have the culture we want — a brotherhood that has been bonded over the past two years. We’ve got each other’s backs.”
While much of the pre-game chatter has centred around Lions’ quarterback Nathan Rourke, Harris isn’t interested in the one-on-one comparisons.
“I’m not here to talk about Nathan Rourke, it’s our time. I’m trying to be the best version of myself for my team. Nathan’s a great player, but I feel like it’s our time.”
Harris also knows the magnitude of the moment. Playing the West Final at home doesn’t happen often, and he’s determined to savour every second.
“When you’re young, you think, ‘We’ll do this a bunch of times.’ But you realize how hard it is. These opportunities are rare, you’ve got to relish them.”
Now, nearly two decades into his professional career, Harris remains grounded and grateful.
“I used to go to games and think, ‘Man, I’d love to be that guy someday.’ Now, here I am, 39 years old, standing in front of a packed house in the West Final. Pretty awesome, man. I’m grateful.”
As for the match-up itself, Harris expects a battle. The Lions bring the league’s top pass rush to town, led by Mathieu Betts, but the Riders’ offensive line held them without a sack in their last meeting — a game where Harris threw for nearly 400 yards.
“They’ve got a great front. It’s on us to be efficient, to keep them guessing. Run the football, stretch the field, mix things up. That’s why you’ve got guys like AJ Ouellette.”
With the stakes as high as they come, Harris and the Roughriders are locked in, confident, and calm — ready to prove that in 2025, they really are “the big dogs.”
Kickoff between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and B.C. Lions goes at 5:30 on Saturday. The Countdown to Kickoff on the 620 CKRM Co-operators Rider Broadcast Network starts at 2:30 p.m.
