Riders looking to host rare West Division final

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are hoping to do something that has been a rarity in the province — host the CFL’s West Division final.

The Roughriders hosted games in the division final six straight years (1966-71, when the final was a best-of-three series), but have staged a final game only twice since then (1976 and 2009).

“It has been 10 years since they hosted the last one … (Centre Dan Clark) might’ve been on the (practice roster) but there was definitely no active players (from the ’09 team on the current roster),” left guard Brendon LaBatte said following practice Tuesday at the AffinityPlex. “It’d mean a lot to us to be able to secure first place.”

The Roughriders can do just that when they entertain the Edmonton Eskimos on Saturday. Kickoff at Mosaic Stadium is set for 2 p.m.

A Saskatchewan win or tie clinches first place in the division for the Roughriders. If the Roughriders lose to Edmonton, they still can lock up top spot if the Calgary Stampeders lose to (or tie) the B.C. Lions later Saturday.

In order for Saskatchewan to even have the opportunity, former Roughriders quarterback Zach Collaros had to help out his old team, this time in a Winnipeg Blue Bombers jersey.

In his first game since suffering a concussion on June 13, Collaros threw for 221 yards with two touchdowns and an interception as the Bombers beat the Stampeders 29-28 on Friday.

“It was great to see. Obviously we were pulling for him and it was nice to see a good buddy and a friend just return to playing the way he knows he can play,” LaBatte said. “The win was awfully nice too, but it was good to just see Zach back out there.”

And speaking of quarterbacks, Cody Fajardo could join a short list of Roughriders who have led their team to the top of the West Division mountain in the regular season.

Only Glenn Dobbs, Ron Lancaster and Darian Durant have finished atop the West Division standings while with the Green and White.

“Statistics-wise when you start throwing out those things, that’s pretty awesome and it just goes to show how special this team is,” Fajardo said. “We know we have a chance as long as we’re at home with our fans and the energy they bring.”

Fajardo said finishing first in the division is important because it gives the team an important bye week in the playoffs.

“I think we’ve played eight or nine straight games since our last bye so for us it’s huge,” Fajardo said. “We’ve got to treat (Saturday’s game) like the first round of the playoffs and that’s how we’re going to treat it.

“We’ve got to win … I know my body would like that bye week as everyone else is in that locker room.”

Fajardo and the rest of the Roughriders will also look to buck another trend from the Roughriders’ past and that’s win the Grey Cup.

Since 1936 when the current West Division was formed, the Roughriders have won the Grey Cup only once in the seven times they’ve finished first in the division.

Notes: Fajardo was named a top performer for the week on Tuesday. He completed 25 of 35 pass attempts for 429 yards and two TDs in Saskatchewan’s 27-24 victory in Edmonton on Saturday … Defensive back Ed Gainey (back) and linebacker Derrick Moncrief (undisclosed) were given the day off Tuesday. Both are expected to be at closed practice Wednesday at the AffinityPlex … The team’s nominees for CFL awards will be announced Wednesday … The Green Zone pre-game show gets underway at noon on Saturday.