Official Game Day Thread - Saskatchewan at Winnipeg , September 6, 2025

[gobombersgo]

[gobombersgo]

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Vanterpool at guard can only help.

[gobombersgo]

Winnipeg Blue Bombers to start Ontaria 'Pokey' Wilson against Riders in Banjo Bowl
By John Hodge -September 5, 2025

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers didn't waste any time getting Ontaria 'Pokey' Wilson into the starting lineup as he'll be at slotback when the Saskatchewan Roughriders visit for the annual Banjo Bowl on Saturday.

The 26-year-old native of Ashburn, Ga. signed with the Blue Bombers earlier this week following his release from the New York Jets. He played three preseason games with the Jets and made three catches for 38 yards before returning to Winnipeg, where he had a successful rookie CFL season in 2024.

The six-foot-one, 175-pound target caught 71 passes for 1,026 yards and three touchdowns over 18 regular-season games last year, helping the Blue Bombers reach the Grey Cup in Vancouver. He finished ninth in receiving yards league-wide and second on the team behind Nic Demski.

Wilson's return is particularly key as Dalton Schoen, who suffered a non-contact knee injury late in the Labour Day Classic, has been placed on the six-game injured list. This marks the 28-year-old's second stint on the six-game injured list this season due to a non-contact knee injury. Schoen also missed most of last year with a torn ACL.

The Blue Bombers will start Redha Kramdi at strong-side linebacker after the veteran missed last week's game due to an ankle injury.

Running back Matthew Peterson has also been promoted back to the active roster in place of American running back and return specialist Peyton Logan, who was relatively ineffective in two games since making his season debut. Logan is now on the one-game injured list as a healthy scratch.

Canadian defensive lineman Tanner Schmekel has been placed on the six-game injured list due to a leg injury he suffered last week. Local product Collin Kornelson, who was re-signed this week, will play in his spot.

Winnipeg allowed five sacks last week and all eyes will be on the offensive line where left guard Gabe Wallace is listed as a game-time decision due to a hip injury he suffered in practice on Wednesday. If he's unable to play, Micah Vanterpool will likely start in his place.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers (6-5) will host the Saskatchewan Roughriders (9-2) at Princess Auto Stadium for the annual Banjo Bowl on Saturday, September 6 with kickoff slated for 4:00 p.m. EDT. The Roughriders beat the Blue Bombers in the Labour Day Classic this past weekend, fending off a late comeback attempt to win 34-30.

The weather forecast in Winnipeg calls for a high of 20 degrees with sunny conditions. The game will be broadcast on TSN in Canada and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune-in on 620 CKRM in Regina and 680 CJOB in Winnipeg.

https://3downnation.com/2025/09/05/winnipeg-blue-bombers-to-start-ontaria-pokey-wilson-against-riders-in-banjo-bowl/

[gobombersgo]

Saskatchewan Roughriders rule out DB Jaxon Ford for Banjo Bowl against Winnipeg
By 3Down Staff -September 5, 2025

The Saskatchewan Roughriders will be without Canadian defensive back Jaxon Ford when they visit the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for the annual Banjo Bowl on Saturday afternoon.

The 25-year-old native of Regina, Sask. was limited in practice on Thursday with a knee injury and was subsequently moved to the one-game injured list. The six-foot, 210-pound defender started last week's Labour Day Classic at safety with Nelson Lokombo out of the lineup due to an ankle injury.

Defensive back Kosi Onyeka, who is in his fourth season with the Roughriders, will start in Ford's place this weekend. The native of Brampton, Ont. joined the team as an undrafted rookie in 2022 and has since made four defensive tackles, 34 special teams tackles, and one forced fumble over 37 regular-season CFL games.

Ford was a second-round pick in the 2023 CFL Draft out of the University of Regina and has since recorded 19 defensive tackles and 11 special teams tackles over 31 career regular-season CFL games. His grandfather, Al Ford, won two Grey Cups with Saskatchewan — one as a player and one as the team's general manager.

The Roughriders haven't made any other changes to their lineup from last week's win in the Labour Day Classic.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders (9-2) will visit the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (6-5) at Princess Auto Stadium for the annual Banjo Bowl on Saturday, September 6 with kickoff slated for 4:00 p.m. EDT. The Roughriders beat the Blue Bombers in the Labour Day Classic this past weekend, fending off a late comeback attempt to win 34-30.

https://3downnation.com/2025/09/05/saskatchewan-roughriders-rule-out-db-jaxon-ford-for-banjo-bowl-against-winnipeg/

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Vanterpool at guard can only help.

What are the consequences?  They're only dressing 6 real D-linemen including Kornelson, they can no longer afford to delete Person.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

What are the consequences?  They're only dressing 6 real D-linemen including Kornelson, they can no longer afford to delete Person.

There are no consequences. We're still starting three nationals on defense and five on offense not including Wallace.

I guess you can say maybe we'd have kept Logan in if Vanterpool was out but it's not really going to have any negative effect.

[Blue In BC]

I doubt Vanterpool doesn't start. It's not common to have an import OL on the AR that isn't starting. My expectation is that Wallace is just on the field for jumbo.

[Pete]

when you look at the dline its pretty obvious that Oshea and Younger doesn't value dts. We've always looked at that position as one you don't have to spend cap dollars esp on imports. Its like its a position where you basically just have to fill holes in our scheme
Sask obviously doesn't feel that way and have the best dline in the league

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

houston was practicing with the number 1 unit but obviously coaches werent thrilled with what they saw. my guess is that they arent 100% sure on Kramdl is why Woodbey is still in.(I hope this isn't another case of bringing a player in when he's liable to reinjure himself)
I would have thought having another db as insurance with vaval kick returning would be smart, but once again O'Sheas guy Ayers is untouchable. (remind anyone of Jackson in 23?)
I guess 10 linebackers is a good number especially with the poor depth at db and dline.

They're piling a lot of stones on Vaval's back, if he gets wiped out on a kick return it's going to be difficult to patch up the secondary with no spare parts. Cobb and Peterson can handle return duties, I guess they'd use Kelly or Kramdi at Safety and move Allen to CB in an emergency.

[Strevy]

That d-line is horrid.  If it's close or we lose this will be the reason.  Same as all season.

Calgary gave us the blue print yet the tall foreheads think they know better.

Maybe Brady gets 6 carries.....

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I doubt Vanterpool doesn't start. It's not common to have an import OL on the AR that isn't starting. My expectation is that Wallace is just on the field for jumbo.

What happened to the one player that would be rostered and not dress on game day, did they do away with that designation?

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

There are no consequences. We're still starting three nationals on defense and five on offense not including Wallace.

I guess you can say maybe we'd have kept Logan in if Vanterpool was out but it's not really going to have any negative effect.

Right. Surprised they deleted Logan, must be necessity, he wasn't lighting up but he also wasn't screwing up.

[Blue In BC]

What happened to the one player that would be rostered and not dress on game day, did they do away with that designation?

Roster used to be 46 players when they did that and yes they did away with that idea. It never made any sense to pay a full SMS salary and not allow that player to play. At times that player was an import and it would have created a ratio issue potentially.

Now we " hide " that kind of player on the 1 game IR and decide whether to activate or not. It's still the same hit on the SMS though.

[Blue In BC]

Right. Surprised they deleted Logan, must be necessity, he wasn't lighting up but he also wasn't screwing up.

It was a ratio choice on our imports and we choose to add Vanterpool due to Wallace being nicked. There were other choices that could also been made by bumping an import LB.

I don't know how Vaval will do needing to fill starting CB and returner from a load point of view. It's not a win win situation.

If the defence plays well, he'll be fielding a lot of punts. If the defence plays badly he'll be on the field longer as a CB and for K/O's.

Peterson might get some work on returns as well but that makes me nervous.