Roughriders make change at kicker for Banjo Bowl

Taylor Shire

Regina Leader-Post

The Saskatchewan Roughriders have decided to switch things up at the kicking position. 

After connecting on just one of three field goals last week in the Labour Day Classic, Roughriders kicker Alex Hale has replaced in the starting lineup by rookie Dawson Hodge, who will make his CFL debut in the Banjo Bowl on Saturday (2 p.m.) against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. 

Hale, a rookie himself who has made 75 per cent of his kicks this season, has been placed on the practice roster. 

“Whether it’s kicker or any other position, I’m always going to look to do what’s best for the team,” Roughriders head coach Corey Mace told reporters on Thursday. 

While Hodge, a Wilfrid Laurier University product, has yet to appear in a CFL game, he successfully made his lone pre-season attempt from 31 yards with the Roughriders in 2025. 

Meanwhile, Roughriders receiver Daniel Wiebe (head), who had two catches for 90 yards in the Labour Day Classic, has been placed on the one-game injured list while running back A.J. Ouellette (knee) has been moved from the six-game injured list to the one-game injured list. He’s expected to make his return to the lineup after Saskatchewan’s upcoming bye week. 

American receiver Shemar Bridges will come back into the starting lineup for Wiebe, while the Roughriders are starting Canadian defensive tackle Ali Saad ahead of American Mike Rose to make up for the ratio change. 

Additionally, Global defensive lineman Habakkuk Baldondo, who was signed by the Riders on Thursday, will be in the lineup as he replaces American defensive lineman Devin Adams in a backup role. 

Linebackers Josh Woods (ankle) and Nick Wiebe (knee) remain on the one-game injured list after sitting out the Labour Day Classic. 

For Winnipeg, receiver Nic Demski (ankle) returns to the lineup after missing the Labour Day Classic while fellow receiver Ontaria Wilson (hand), who had five catches for 53 yards last week, will miss the Banjo Bowl as he has been placed on the six-game injured list. 

Running back Brady Oliveira (ankle) will start despite being listed as questionable for the game on Thursday while defensive back Redha Kramdi (hand) returns to the lineup from the six-game injured list. 

Game preview 

After winning the Labour Day Classic 32-26 in overtime on Sunday, the Roughriders will be looking to sweep the home-and-home series for the second straight season. 

Last year, the Green and White took the Labour Day Classic 34-30 before winning 21-13 the following week, which was Saskatchewan’s first win in the Banjo Bowl since 2018. 

In 2024, the Bombers swept with a pair of wins while the teams split the series in 2023. In 21 games since it was first dubbed the Banjo Bowl in 2004, the Bombers hold a 13-8 record. 

After improving to 8-4 with the win in the Labour Day Classic, the Roughriders have a four-point cushion on second place in the West Division as they remain two wins up on the Bombers and B.C. Lions, who are both 6-6 entering Week 15 of the CFL season. Saskatchewan can also clinch the season series with Winnipeg on Saturday with a win or a loss of fewer than six points. 

The Roughriders will also look to close in on Edmonton (9-3) for first place in the West, with the Elks taking on the Calgary Stampeders (5-7) on Saturday right after Saskatchewan and Winnipeg wrap up. 

Closing in 

With a league-leading 15 rushing touchdowns this season after a hat trick on Sunday in the Labour Day Classic, Roughriders short-yardage quarterback Tommy Stevens is closing in on a franchise record. 

Entering Saturday’s game, the 29-year-old is one touchdown away from tying fullback George Reed’s record for touchdowns in a single season, as Reed set the mark with 16 in 1968. Stevens also isn’t far off the total touchdown record of 18 set by Ken Carpenter (12 rushing and six receiving touchdowns) in 1955. 

Stevens is also one touchdown away from tying the CFL record for majors by a quarterback, with Ottawa’s Caleb Evans holding that record since 2022. 

Roughriders’ linebacker Jameer Thurman is also poised to climb the all-time CFL list in tackles as he is five tackles away from becoming the 23^rd player in history to reach 600 tackles. 

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