Hamilton Tiger-Cats (8-8) at Saskatchewan Roughriders (4-12)
Game 17 | Saturday, October 29 @ 3:00 p.m. EST
Mosaic Stadium – Regina, Saskatchewan
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV BROADCAST: TSN featuring Rod Smith (play-by-play) and Duane Forde (analyst)
RADIO BROADCAST: AM 900 CHML featuring Rick Zamperin (play-by-play) and John Salavantis (analyst)
THE MATCH-UP
Saturday’s game will be the second and final meeting between the Tiger-Cats and Roughriders. The match-up will be the 80th meeting between the two clubs since 1950. Saskatchewan holds a one game edge in the all-time series, 38-37-4. The Roughriders have recently had succes against the Tiger-Cats, winning 10 of their last 12 meetings with Hamilton. However, the Ticats won the first meeting between the teams this season, capturing a 33-3 victory on July 16 in Hamilton.
The Tiger-Cats enter Saturday’s contest coming off a 42-10 beat down of the B.C. Lions last week in their last home game of the season. Justin Medlock hit all seven of his field goal attempts against the Lions and earned special teams player of the week honours in the process. Quinton Porter, Bakari Grant, and Ray Mariuz all scored touchdowns in the win over B.C. which improved Hamilton’s record to 8-8 on the season.
2011 STATISTICAL RANKINGS
HAMILTON SASKATCHEWAN
Total Offence Per Game 345.6 (5th) 330.8 (7th)
Rushing Offence Per Game 93.5 (7th) 89.9 (8th)
Passing Offence Per Game 264.9 (4th) 261.5 (6th)
Total Defence Per Game 382.8 (7th) 371.9 (6th)
Rushing Defence Per Game 112.8 (6th) 115.1 (7th)
Passing Defence Per Game 288.8 (7th) 268.2 (5th)
Points Per Game 28.9 (2nd) 19.2 (8th)
Opponents Points Per Game 26.6 (5th) 28.5 (7th)
2011 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS LEADERS
K. Glenn: 279/447, 3642 yds, 19 TD, 13 INT D. Durant: 299/489, 3653, 18 TD, 14 INT
A. Cobourne: 194-928 yds, 8 TD W. Cates: 124-591 yds, 4 TD
C. Williams: 65-1012 yds, 6 TD W. Dressler: 77-1020 yds, 5 TD
R. Williams: 82 tackles J. Freeman : 94 tackles
J. Hickman: 11 sacks B. Simpson: 5 sacks
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Marcus Thigpen # 8/ SB / Hamilton
Back in week three Thigpen exploded on the Roughriders. He amassed 172 total yards: 40 rushing, 23 receiving, 109 return yards and a touchdown. Since that game Thigpen has made a permanent move to the receiver position and has flourished in his new role. Look for number eight, who sits second in the CFL with 1,953 total yards, to continue his stellar play in Saskatchewan on Saturday.
Jerrell Freeman # 50 / LB / Saskatchewan
In Saskatchewan’s July 16 meeting with Hamilton, Freeman wreaked havoc on the Ticats racking up five tackles and one interception. Freeman is the CFL’s leading tackler with 94 stops on the season, but he doesn’t just make tackles, he makes plays on the football. Number 50 has caused seven turnovers on his own this season, four forced fumbles and three interceptions. Freeman can also rush the passer, evidenced by his four sacks on the year. Hamilton must keep a close eye on this play-making linebacker and not allow him to disrupt the Ticats offensive attack.
KEY MATCH-UP
Justin Hickman vs. Alexandre Gauthier
These two Former teammates (Gauthier spent the 2009 and 2010 season in Hamilton)will line up across from one another with Hickman looking to catch Odell Willis in the sack race. In the last meeting between the Ticats and Roughriders, Hickman picked up one sack, beating his old friend on the way to the quarterback. Number 95 has 11 sacks on the season, two behind Willis who has 13, and has just two games left to make his bid for the sack title. Hickman should have some opportunities against a Roughrider offensive line that has given up 34 sacks on the season, the fifth most among all CFL offensive line groups.
