Calgary Stampeders keep playoff hopes alive with 32-13 win over B.C. Lions

CALGARY — The Calgary Stampeders avoided elimination from playoff contention Saturday, but must rely on a division rival to extend their CFL season.

The Stampeders (9-9) defeated the visiting B.C. Lions (10-7) 32-13 in Calgary’s final game of the regular season.

The Stampeders headed into their season-ending bye week needing the team they just beat to down the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (8-9) next Friday to get into the 2026 playoffs.

So Stampeder coaches and players will spend a few days in awkward limbo not knowing if their season is done.

The Lions had already locked up second in the West Division, and the right to host the division semifinal Oct. 31, when the Blue Bombers lost to the Edmonton Elks on Friday.

The Elks (13-4) secured first in the West with the win over Winnipeg and host the division final Nov. 7. The winner of that game advances to the Grey Cup in Calgary on Nov. 15.

The defending Grey Cup champion Roughriders (9-8) can finish no worse than fourth in the West after beating the Montreal Alouettes 16-12 earlier on Saturday.

The fourth team in the West will cross over and meet the Toronto Argonauts in the East Division semifinal. The third seed heads to Vancouver to face the Lions in the West semifinal.

The Blue Bombers went 2-1 against the Stampeders this season, and would thus finish higher in the event of a tie.

Quincy Vaughn scored a pair of short-yardage rushing touchdowns and Ajou Ajou caught a touchdown pass for Calgary in front of an announced 21,968 at McMahon Stadium.

Rene Paredes, who intends to retire after 15 years as a Stampeder, kicked field goals from 24, 22, 29 and 32 yards and contributed two convert points, but missed a 57-yard field goal attempt.

Vernon Adams Jr. completed 30 of 43 pass attempts for 324 yards, one touchdown pass and one interception

Lions starting quarterback Nathan Rourke went 8-for-11 in passing for 149 yards and one touchdown pass in the first half.

Rourke was replaced by Kaidon Salter in the second half, when the backup went 6-for-14 in passing for 113 yards and one interception.

Justin McInnis caught a touchdown pass for B.C.

Sean Whyte kicked field goals from 48 and 26, but missed from 46, and produced a convert point.

Saturday’s kickoff was held under sun and a temperature of 16 C, but winds gusted to 53 kilometres per hour out of the west before diminishing during the game.

Tied 13-13 at halftime, the Stampeders led for the first time in the game on Paredes’ 29-yard field goal early in the third quarter.

He was short from 57 with the wind and Whyte was also short from 47 against before the end of the third.

The Lions had the wind with them in the fourth, which was interrupted for a couple minutes by two rabbits running amok on the turf.

A Paredes’s 32-yard field goal five minutes into the quarter gave Calgary a 19-13 lead.

Adams threw his first touchdown pass of the game — to Ajou — after a five-play, 84-yard drive with five minutes remaining. Vaughn’s second short-yardage plunge to score sealed the win for Calgary.

B.C. took a 13-10 lead on Whyte’s 26-yard field goal, but Paredes countered with a 22-yarder late in the first half to knot the score.

The Lions were up 10-3 in the first quarter when Rourke capped a 75-yard, four-play drive with a 19-yard touchdown pass to McInnis.

Calgary successfully challenged for pass interference early in the second quarter to extend a drive. Vaughn scored on a one-yard plunge and Paredes converted to draw the hosts event.

With the wind at their backs, the Lions scored on the game’s first drive when Whyte booted a 48-yard field goal. His counterpart Paredes countered with a 24-yarder on the next drive.

UP NEXT

The Lions are at home to the Blue Bombers on Friday in the regular-season finale for both clubs before hosting the division semifinal Oct. 31. Calgary on a bye week awaits the result of Friday’s game to know its playoff fate.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2026.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press