2013 CFL Season So Far
Even though the Canadian Football League (CFL) is a much scaled down version of its NFL cousin south of the border, it boasts millions of avid fans across Canada, and right now the water cooler football talk is all about the Saskatchewan Roughriders' first loss of the season at the hands of the Calgary Stampeders on the weekend.
Going into the sixth game of the 2013 CFL season, the Saskatchewan Roughriders were 5-0, and leading not only the West Division, but the overall CFL standings. But that was before they traveled to face a superbly put together Calgary Stampeders at McMahon Stadium on Friday night, where they succumbed by 27-42.
Stampeders Pulled Out All The Stops
Even though the Roughriders arrived in Calgary brimming with confidence, little did they know what lay in store for them as the Stampeders pulled out all the stops and seriously brought their A-game. One player for the home team who played his part and then some is RB Jon Cornish, who delivered nothing less than a searing performance.
By the end of the game Cornish had rushed for four touchdowns and 174 yards, as well as racked up an additional 20 receiving yards. Another Stampeders player worth a large mention is kicker Rene Paredes, who used his foot to maximum effect by extending his CFL consecutive field goal record to a notable 36 with kicks.
Try as hard as they undoubtedly did, the Saskatchewan Roughriders were simply no match for the Calgary Stampeders on the night, and they had to return home contemplating their first loss of the season. This means that they are now tied 5-1 in the CFL standings with their West Division rivals - none other than the Calgary Stampeders.
Saskatchewan Fans Lamenting the Loss
While Saskatchewan fans will no doubt be lamenting the loss, Stampeders fans will be all smiles after their team more than succeeded in taking arguably their biggest CFL rivals down a notch. The result also bodes well for the excitement stakes if Saskatchewan and Calgary prove to be the two teams to beat this season.
At the other of the CFL scale are the West Division's Edmonton Eskimos and the East Division's Winnipeg Blue Bombers, each of which has only won one out of their six games so far this season. With losing records of 1-5, both teams will need to pull up their socks dramatically, if they have any hope of excelling this season.
Here are the latest 2013 CFL Grey Cup winner odds as posted by leading online sportsbook Bodog:
Odds to Win 2013 CFL Grey Cup
Saskatchewan Roughriders - 9/4
Calgary Stampeders - 11/4
B.C. Lions - 7/2
Toronto Argonauts - 9/2
Hamilton Tiger-Cats - 9/1
Montreal Alouettes - 16/1
Winnipeg Blue Bombers - 25/1
Edmonton Eskimos - 40/1
