Consider all the storylines heading into the Eastern and Western Semi-Finals.
You have Zach Collaros, trying to prove he has one more Grey Cup run in him, taking on the new guy, Davis Alexander, who seemingly can’t lose.
Out West, you get a classic case of sports revenge with Vernon Adams Jr. taking on the league’s best quarterback, Nathan Rourke. After a regular season that fully delivered, we now roll into the playoffs with everything on the line.
2025 GREY CUP PLAYOFFS
» 3 storylines to watch in the Eastern Semi-Final
» Division Semi-Final Saturday heads to Montreal and BC
» Weekly Predictor: Who wins the Division Semi-Finals?
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There are a myriad of matchups that will decide who comes out on top, and I’ve been tasked with the difficult assignment of highlighting just my two favourites for each playoff game. I imagine you could think of a dozen or so, but here are the ones I’ll be focused on.
WINNIPEG AT MONTREAL
DYLAN WYNN/MUSTAFA JOHNSON VS. BRADY OLIVEIRA
This may seem like an odd place to start considering the two Alouettes defensive linemen combined for just 30 total tackles and three sacks, but if Montreal is going to slow down the All-CFL running back, the middle of the defence will need to hold strong at the point of attack.
A successful day for this duo may not show up in the stat sheet. Their job will be to hold the Bombers’ offensive line to a stalemate and allow the linebackers to clean up.
Oliveira didn’t lead the CFL in rushing this season, but his 5.8 yards per carry was higher than any other back who topped 1,000 yards. His best outing of the year came in the team’s Week 12, 26-13 win over Montreal, when last year’s Most Outstanding Player put up a season-high 137 rushing yards and went over 200 total yards against one of the league’s best defences.
ZACH COLLAROS VS. HIMSELF
One of the most enduring storylines in sports is “man versus self.” Don’t worry, I’m not about to dust off my old McMaster theatre degree and break down Conflict Theory, but we can all agree this has been a challenging year for the Winnipeg quarterback.
Collaros finished 2025 with a career-high 16 interceptions despite playing just 13 games. There were stretches this season where it was hard to recognize the two-time Most Outstanding Player.
The question now is whether Collaros can find the right balance against a Montreal defence that allowed the fewest passing yards and tied the BC Lions for the most sacks. Collaros’ best game of the season came in that Week 12 win over the Als, when he finished with just four incompletions and, for only the fourth time all year, didn’t throw an interception.
His arm talent remains elite, just look at what he did to Hamilton in Week 17, but that same confidence can also get him into trouble, especially with playmakers like Tyrice Beverette lurking on the other side.
CALGARY AT BC
ADRIAN GREENE VS. NATHAN ROURKE
The way Nathan Rourke is playing, no single defender, or defence, is going to stop him from making plays. Go back just a week ago, when his first pass went for a 67-yard touchdown to Ayden Eberhardt. Against Calgary earlier this season, Rourke was spectacular, throwing for 745 yards, six touchdowns, and only 11 incompletions over two meetings. Add to that the fact that he has two receivers that finished in the top three in receiving yards in Keon Hatcher Sr. and Justin McInnis.
For the Stampeders to win, they’ll need to generate a couple of turnovers to even the playing field. Adrian Greene, a former Lion, had four interceptions in his last eight games, and it’s worth noting that Rourke’s big-play mindset does give defences opportunities. Rourke tied Collaros for the league lead in interceptions thrown, including seven over his final four games of 2025.
Greene’s versatility in the secondary will be key, his job is to make Rourke as uncomfortable as possible.
MATHIEU BETTS VS. JOSHUA COKER (RT)
The CFL’s sacks leader does it again! 👀
Mathieu Betts leads the league with 14 sacks. #CFLGameday
📅: Stampeders vs. @BCLions LIVE NOW
🇨🇦: TSN
🌎: CFL+ pic.twitter.com/tbv7leZBHe— CFL (@CFL) October 5, 2025
Sticking with that theme, Vernon Adams Jr. is back in his comfort zone, ending the year on a three-game winning streak. Adams Jr. is on a mini heater, completing around 80 per cent of his passes while benefitting from the hard running of Dedrick Mills.
The last time Adams Jr. turned the ball over was in a Week 18 loss to the Lions, when he threw three interceptions against Mike Benevides’ defence. For Calgary to win, they’ll need a clean pocket, which is easier said than done when the league’s top pass rusher is on the other side.
Mathieu Betts is fully back to his 2023 form, wreaking havoc across the CFL with 15 sacks and four forced fumbles. He took down Adams Jr. three times in two meetings this season. Expect Betts to be double-teamed often, but there will still be plenty of one-on-one situations where it’ll fall on Joshua Coker to try and neutralize the league’s best edge threat.