{
    "title": "WEEK 1 IN THE CFL ",
    "modified_at": "2026-06-03 10:00:01",
    "published_at": "2026-06-03 10:00:00",
    "url": "https://press.cfl.ca/week-1-in-the-cfl-xh66yd",
    "short_url": "http://prez.ly/RSHd",
    "culture": "en",
    "language": "EN",
    "subtitle": "Stats and storylines heading into this week\u2019s action",
    "slug": "week-1-in-the-cfl-xh66yd",
    "body": "\n    <figure\n        class=\"release-content-image release-content-image--contained release-content-image--align-center\"\n        data-component=\"image-zoom-popup\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-selector=\".release-content-image__image\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-i18n=\"data:application/json;base64,eyJEb3dubG9hZCI6IkRvd25sb2FkIn0=\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-tracking-views-event=\"Story Image View\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-tracking-download-event=\"Story Image Download\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-placement=\"content\"\n    >\n        <div class=\"image-thumbnail-rollover\" style=\"width: 100%\">\n            <img\n                src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/af8ebe15-a946-4d85-9ca6-ba009ba56d26/-/format/auto/\"\n                                class=\"release-content-image__image image-thumbnail-rollover__image\"\n                data-description=\"\"\n                id=\"image-af8ebe15-a946-4d85-9ca6-ba009ba56d26\"\n                data-id=\"af8ebe15-a946-4d85-9ca6-ba009ba56d26\"\n                data-original=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/af8ebe15-a946-4d85-9ca6-ba009ba56d26/-/inline/no/CFLTW1_SLC_1200x630_EN.jpg\"\n                data-mfp-src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/af8ebe15-a946-4d85-9ca6-ba009ba56d26/-/format/auto/\"\n                alt=\"Story image\"\n            />\n            <div class=\"image-thumbnail-rollover__caption\">\n                <svg class=\"icon icon-expand image-thumbnail-rollover__caption-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-expand\"></use>\n            </svg>            </div>\n        </div>\n\n        <figcaption class=\"release-content-image__caption\"></figcaption>\n    </figure>\n<p><strong>BREAK IT DOWN</strong></p><ul class=\"release-content-list release-content-list--bulleted release-content-list--align-inherit\"><li><span>479 total players on CFL rosters</span><ul class=\"release-content-list release-content-list--bulleted release-content-list--align-inherit\"><li><span>398 veterans (83 per cent)</span></li><li><span>81 first-year players (17 per cent)</span></li><li><span>Averages of 42 games of CFL experience and 24 starts </span></li><li><span>Average age: 28.1</span></li></ul></li><li><span>Status</span><ul class=\"release-content-list release-content-list--bulleted release-content-list--align-inherit\"><li><span>225 Nationals</span></li><li><span>237 Americans</span></li><li><span>17 Globals </span></li></ul></li><li><span>142 players from U SPORTS (29.6 per cent). UBC, Laval, Montreal and Laurier lead with 11 each.</span></li></ul><p><strong>SLINGIN&rsquo; IT</strong></p><ul class=\"release-content-list release-content-list--bulleted release-content-list--align-inherit\"><li><span>Bo Levi Mitchell | 158 starts | 110-46-2 (.703)</span></li><li><span>Zach Collaros | 143 starts | 89-54 (.622)</span></li><li><span>Trevor Harris | 128 starts | 69-57-2 (.547)</span></li><li><span>Cody Fajardo | 86 starts | 49-36-1 (.579)</span></li><li><span>Vernon Adams Jr. | 77 starts | 49-28 (.636)</span></li><li><span>Jake Maier | 47 starts | 19-27-1 (.415)</span></li><li><span>Nathan Rourke | 36 starts | 23-13 (.639)</span></li><li><span>Chad Kelly | 25 starts | 20-5 (.800)</span></li><li><span>Davis Alexander | 11 starts | 11-0 (1.000)</span></li></ul><p><strong>2025 IN HINDSIGHT</strong></p><ul class=\"release-content-list release-content-list--bulleted release-content-list--align-inherit\"><li><span>Home teams in the regular season: 44-37</span></li><li><span>Six 1,000-yard+ rushers &ndash; the most since 2009 (7)</span></li><li><span>League-wide passer rating (97.4) was the second highest in league history (98.3 in 2016)</span></li><li><span>51 per cent of games decided in the final three minutes. On 16 occasions, teams came back after trailing in the final three minutes </span></li><li><span>Teams that won the turnover battle were 58-11 (.790)</span></li><li><span>73 singles. In 2026 with the modified rouge, 36 of them would no longer apply</span></li></ul><p><strong>QUICK SLANTS</strong></p><p><strong>LEAGUE-WIDE</strong></p><ul class=\"release-content-list release-content-list--bulleted release-content-list--align-inherit\"><li><span>Possible milestone game(s)</span><ul class=\"release-content-list release-content-list--bulleted release-content-list--align-inherit\"><li><span>100<sup>th</sup> | Justin Lawrence (MTL)</span></li></ul></li></ul><p><strong>MTL at HAM </strong></p><ul class=\"release-content-list release-content-list--bulleted release-content-list--align-inherit\"><li><span>Since 2022, Montreal is 7-3 against Hamilton, however the Ticats swept the season series in 2025</span></li><li><span>Montreal has won its first game for the past three seasons </span></li><li><span>Jason Maas&rsquo; next victory will move him past Marc Trestman (72) for 19<sup>th</sup> on the all-time coaching list</span></li><li><span>Davis Alexander aims to extend his own CFL record for consecutive wins to start a career to 12</span></li><li><span>Jose Maltos Diaz needs to make two field goals to reach 100 in his career</span></li><li><span>Hamilton is hosting the season opener for the first time since 2019</span></li><li><span>Hamilton has not won its season opening game since 2018</span></li><li><span>Coming off a league-best 14 TD catches last season, Kenny Lawler&rsquo;s next will be the 40<sup>th</sup> of his career</span></li></ul><p><strong>WPG at CGY </strong></p><ul class=\"release-content-list release-content-list--bulleted release-content-list--align-inherit\"><li><span>Zach Collaros needs 17 passing yards to reach 36,000 in his career</span></li><li><span>Nic Demski &ndash; the active leader in receptions &ndash; needs six to hit 500 in his career </span></li><li><span>With four carries, Brady Oliveira will reach 1,000 in his career. His next 100-yard+ rushing game will tie Jon Cornish for second-most by a Canadian (22), behind only Andrew Harris (29).</span></li><li><span>Oliveira needs 62 rushing yards to move into 5<sup>th</sup> on the Blue Bombers&rsquo; all-time list, passing Gerry James (5,541).</span></li><li><span>Last season, Calgary was 3-1 against Winnipeg, ending an 0-6 run</span></li><li><span>Vernon Adams Jr.&rsquo;s next win will be his 50<sup>th</sup></span></li><li><span>Last season, Dedrick Mills rushed for a career-high 1,409 yards (5.6 yards per carry)</span></li></ul><p><strong>EDM at OTT </strong></p><ul class=\"release-content-list release-content-list--bulleted release-content-list--align-inherit\"><li><span>Edmonton swept the season series 2-0 in 2025</span></li><li><span>Cody Fajardo needs three TD passes to reach 100 and two rushing TDs for 50. His next win will be his 50<sup>th</sup> as a starter. </span></li><li><span>Edmonton last won its season opener in 2019</span></li><li><span>Fajardo is 9-1 against Ottawa; Jake Maier is 3-3 versus Edmonton</span></li><li><span>Ryan Dinwiddie will make his debut as Ottawa&rsquo;s fourth head coach. He went 51&ndash;35 (.593) with Toronto, making the playoffs in four of five season</span></li><li><span>Justin Hardy needs 29 receptions to move past Greg Ellingson (332) for third on Ottawa&rsquo;s all-time list</span></li><li><span>Eugene Lewis &ndash; the active leader in TD receptions &ndash; is three away from 50 in his career</span></li></ul><div class=\"release-content-contact\" id=\"contact-6386b765-1d63-430e-bb1e-35b5a1e443b3\">\n    \n    <div class=\"release-content-contact__details\">\n        <strong class=\"release-content-contact__name\">Lucas Barrett</strong>\n        <em class=\"release-content-contact__description\">Associate Vice-President, Communications &amp; Public Affairs, Canadian Football League</em>\n        <ul class=\"release-content-contact__details-list\"><li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"mailto:lbarrett@cfl.ca\"  class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"lbarrett@cfl.ca\"><svg class=\"icon icon-paper-plane release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-paper-plane\"></use>\n            </svg>lbarrett@cfl.ca</a></li>\n<li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"tel:416.802.7852\"  class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"416.802.7852\"><svg class=\"icon icon-phone release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-phone\"></use>\n            </svg>416.802.7852</a></li>\n<li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"https://twitter.com/LucasBarrett9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"@LucasBarrett9\"><svg class=\"icon icon-twitter release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-twitter\"></use>\n            </svg>@LucasBarrett9</a></li>\n<li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"http://www.cfl.ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"cfl.ca\"><svg class=\"icon icon-browser release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-browser\"></use>\n            </svg>cfl.ca</a></li></ul>\n    </div>\n</div>",
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