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CALGARY — The Calgary Stampeders have to win it to stay in it.

Friday's result against the visiting Saskatchewan Roughriders will decide whether the Stampeders (4-11) remain in CFL playoff contention or finish outside the post-season for the first time since 2004.

The Roughriders (6-10) can clinch the third and final playoff berth in the West Division with a victory at McMahon Stadium and eliminate Calgary after 17 consecutive seasons of the Stampeders in the CFL playoffs.

"Shoot, man, it's been a tough road and we're still on the road," Stampeders quarterback Jake Maier said Thursday. "This is do-or-die for us. 

"Either our season continues and we really have something to play for and something to chase, or kind of the opposite."

Toronto, Montreal, Hamilton, Winnipeg and B.C. have locked down five of the CFL's six playoff spots.

Third place in the West has been a turtle derby between the Roughriders on a five-game losing skid and the Stampeders who have lost three in a row. Calgary is four points back of Saskatchewan with a game in hand.

"Truthfully, the past few weeks have kind of been like 'oh man, that's not looking too good for us', but then as the weeks go it's like 'you're still alive, you're still alive, you're still alive,'" Maier said 

"So now it's like, all right man, we've been given these opportunities. Let's take advantage of them now, finally. 

"There's still confidence, there's still belief. Now it's just a matter of OK, how many more opportunities do we need before we put our foot down and make this happen? That's our mentality right now."

Saskatchewan won 29-26 in overtime at McMahon back on June 24 — their last road win — when Trevor Harris was the starting quarterback. 

Stampeders eked out a 33-31 decision in Regina on July 15 when Harris sustained a leg fracture. Friday's clash, with Jake Dolegala under centre for the Riders, determines the season's series winner for a potential tiebreaker.

"Eager to just get on that field, because it's been a lot of build up to this game," Dolegala said. "It's a pressure game. If we win, we're in. Emotion, energy and execution, we need all three to win."

Calgary caps the regular season against the B.C. Lions and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Roughriders host the defending Grey Cup champion Toronto Argonauts on Oct. 21 before ending on a bye week.

Calgary's receiving yards leader Reggie Begelton (1,053), the last Stampeder to score a touchdown Sept. 23, won't play Friday. He didn't emerge from the bye week healed from what was listed as a chest injury.

"It's in his ribs and listen, if he could play, he'd play," Stampeders head coach Dave Dickenson said. "He's been a warrior all year and just doesn't at this point feel like he could run and survive.

"We need to win the game and give him a chance to play meaningful football as the season goes on."

Begelton's absence is a blow to Calgary's inconsistent offence. Maier ranks third among CFL passers with 3,827 yards, but that's translated into a lot more field goals than touchdowns.

Saskatchewan's defence has become porous in giving up a league-worst 28.9 points per game. 

Head coach Craig Dickenson, who is Dave's older brother, called last week's 38-13 loss at home to Hamilton an embarrassment as his defence coughed up 546 net offensive yards to the Tiger-Cats.

"We've got to be able to make a stand, we've got to be able to stop teams and we've got to able to force more two-and-outs" Saskatchewan's head coach said. "It's hard to play from behind and I feel like we've been playing from behind too much. 

"We've got to do a better job early on defence, hopefully, get a lead and dictate the pace of the game a little bit." 

BROTHER BATTLE

Friday's game is the 10th head-coaching duel between the Dickenson brothers in the regular season dating back to 2019, with Dave holding a 7-2 record. They've met once in the playoffs, with the Roughriders winning the 2021 West Division semifinal. Dave Dickenson became general manager of the Stampeders this season to hold dual roles.

"My folks tell me they wish we weren't playing each other," Craig said. "I said 'mom, at least one of us is going to get a win this way so it's not the worse thing, you know.'

"Dave's a good football coach and I love him to death, but this one's important for us. We'd like to be playing each other, and already in the playoffs, but we know how it goes. When you're coaching in the CFL and you're in the same division, often times those head-to-head games mean a lot."

CLOSE LOSSES

The Stampeders are 3-9 this season in games decided in the final three minutes and 2-4 in games decided by four or fewer points. Calgary's winning percentage of .267 is the lowest since .222 in 2004.

"We just haven't played well enough. We don't play enough winning football," Dave Dickenson said. "We are very fortunate, I believe, to still be alive at four and 11. We've got to take advantage of an opportunity."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 12, 2023.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press