Riders and Stampeders Ready to Clash in West Final

Neither Team Feeling the Pressure
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It's been two weeks, the province of Saskatchewan has been talking about the biggest game of the year but now it's finally here. The West Division Final.

For the first time since 1976, Mosaic Stadium will play host to the Division Final. Back than it was Hall of Famer Ron Lancaster leading the offense, while Jim Hopson was on the offensive line.

Fast forward 33-years later and now first-year starter Darian Durant is at the helm of the Rider offense while Jim Hopson is running the entire ship as President and CEO.

Durant feels the Stampeders put a little bit of pressure on themselves when quarterback Henry Burris said they'd see the Alouettes in the Grey Cup a month ago but Burris sees it the other way. The Stamps quarterback feels with the Riders in front of the hometown crowd and a first-year starter, the Riders will be feeling tremendous pressure to win.

The Riders clinched home field advantage for the West Final with a 30-14 win over the Stampeders in the final game of the regular season.

STAT PACK

Riders quarterback Darian Durant has thrown for 980 yards in the three meetings against the Stampeders. Durant also has seven touchdowns thrown and just one interception in those meetings. On the flip side, Henry Burris has thrown for 730 yards with three touchdown passes and two interceptions.

Wes Cates has no touchdowns against his former team this season, however fullback Chris Szarka has scored four touchdowns against the Stampeders this year. Cates counterpart Joffrey Reynolds has rushed for 356 yards in the three meeting this season, including three touchdowns, which all came in the 44-44 tie.

Calgary has had problems containing Rider receivers Andy Fantuz and Chris Getzlaf. In two games, Fantuz has caught 22 passes for 272 yards and a score. In three games, Getzlaf has 13 receptions with 229 yards and four touchdowns.

The Riders have finished first in the West six times and have advanced to the Grey Cup four times, both losses came at the hands of the Stampeders. The Riders have a 2-5 record against the Stampeders in the West Final, but they have not played against one another in the West Division Final since 1971.

ROSTER MOVES

Three moves ahead of Sunday's game for the Roughriders. WR David McKoy has been added to the 46-man roster adding depth to the receiving corps because of Johnny Quinn's injury. DB Eddie Davis is back on the roster and DB Tamon George has been removed. LS Kevin Scott has also been put on the roster taking the spot of DE Michael Stadnyk.

The Calgary Stampeders were forced to make two roster changes from last week's Semi-Final. FB Teyo Johnson is back on the roster after suffering a stab wound last week at a party. DL Tom Johnson has also been added to the roster. The two deletions are C Rob Lazeo (knee, ankle) and LB Mike Botterill.

Both teams will whittle their rosters down to 42 an hour before kick off.

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GO RIDERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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