Toronto Star
· collected 2026-10-08 · by Gemma Karstens-Smith The Canadian Press
The B.C. Lions are set to face the struggling Ottawa Redblacks in a crucial game for both teams. The Lions have recently turned their season around with eight wins in nine games and currently stand at 9-6, while the winless Redblacks (0-15) hold the record for most losses to start a CFL season. Despite their dire situation, Ottawa's Daniel Adeboboye emphasizes continued hard work and determination to secure their positions for next year, noting that giving up is not an option in professional sports. The article focuses on contrasting narratives of hope versus reality for both teams heading into the game.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-08,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
The B.C. Lions and Ottawa Redblacks have had very different seasons.
asserted
Lions → have → seasons
While both teams stumbled early, the Lions recovered from a 1-5 start in dramatic form, and now have wins in eight of their last nine games.
The Redblacks (0-15), meanwhile, are still desperately searching for their first win of the campaign.
A 34-16 loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last week saw Ottawa make bleak history.
asserted
Ottawa → stumble → history
The team now holds the record for most losses to open a CFL season, surpassing the 14 straight defeats the Shreveport Pirates posted in 1994.
asserted
Pirates → hold → 1994
That doesn’t mean the Redblacks have relinquished all hope, though, said running back Daniel Adeboboye.
asserted
Adeboboye → mean → hope
“Even though we have the record that we have, we still have phenomenal practices,” he said this week.
asserted
he → have → practices
“Guys still come out with good energy; guys in the locker room are still doing what they have to do.
asserted
they → come → what
We still all understand that there’s something to play for.”
asserted
We → understand → ?
Adeboboye proved last week that he’s still fighting hard.
asserted
he → prove → ?
The 27-year-old Canadian rushed for 74 yards against Hamilton, including a season-high 55-yard gain.
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Canadian → rush → gain
The Redblacks know they won’t be competing for the Grey Cup this season, said Adeboboye, but giving up isn’t an option.
asserted
giving → know → Cup
“We see the turnover in professional sports — the second that they sense that (you’ve given up), you’re gone.
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you → see → sports
So we have that to play for,” he said.
asserted
he → have → that
“The nature of this business, they’re not afraid to let go of guys and pick up new guys.
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they → ’re → guys
They’re scouting for next year and we have to do our job to make sure we’re on the team next year.”
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’re → scout → team
The Redblacks will have another opportunity to prove themselves on Friday when they visit the surging Lions (9-6).
asserted
they → have → Lions
The home side will have extra ammunition for coming away with a win — a victory would punch B.C.‘s playoff ticket.
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victory → have → ticket
The Edmonton Elks (11-4) are the lone team in the West Division currently holding a post-season berth.
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Elks → hold → berth
Friday will be the second meeting between the two sides this season, coming after the Lions took a 45-24 win in the nation’s capital on Aug. 30.
asserted
Lions → come → Aug.
That game didn’t start well for the visitors.
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game → start → visitors
B.C. had to overcome a 14-3 deficit en route to the win.
asserted
B.C. → have → win
The Lions aren’t thinking about the CFL standings or their opponent’s record as they prepare for Friday’s matchup, said head coach Buck Pierce.
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Pierce → think → matchup
“It doesn’t matter where you are, you have to be extremely focused on where your feet are and the next opponent,” he said.
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he → matter → are
“For us to get where we want to get to, it just happens to be Ottawa this week.
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it → get → where
And we’ve got to play better than we did last week.”
asserted
we → get → ?
The Lions are coming off a 24-17 road win over the Toronto Argonauts where B.C.‘s Sean Whyte kicked a team-record eight field goals.
asserted
Whyte → come → goals
Quarterback Nathan Rourke — set to make his 50th CFL start on Friday — went without an interception for a third straight game, and has now gone 110 pass attempts without getting picked off.
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Rourke → set → attempts
He amassed 254 passing yards against Toronto and hit 4,105 on the season, but was held without a touchdown.
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He → amass → touchdown
Pierce isn’t concerned that Rourke didn’t connect with any of his receivers in the end zone.
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Rourke → connect → zone
“We’ve been pretty efficient there this year,” the coach said.
asserted
coach → say → ?
“I think it’s just consistency, the ability to maintain our focus.
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it → think → focus
When you lose your focus, your execution goes with it as well.
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execution → lose → it
And that’s really what happened.”
asserted
what → ’ → ?
B.C.‘s defence also came up big last week with a pair of goal-line stands that preserved the lead.
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that → come → lead
Defence has been critical to B.C.‘s recent success, with the Lions allowing an average of 24.0 points per game and 332 yards of net offence over their last nine outings.
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Lions → allow → outings
“They’re playing well,” Pierce said, noting that the defensive unit understood the assignment against Toronto.
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unit → play → Toronto
And they knew that, in the fourth quarter, it was going to come down to a stop …
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it → know → stop
That’s what good teams do and that’s the complementary football that you’re always trying to instil.”
asserted
you → ’ → that
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 8, 2026.
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report → publish → Press
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