Fresh off the injured list, Bo Levi Mitchell will get the start at quarterback for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats when they visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders Saturday night.
“I’m excited,” said Mitchell, who hasn’t played since suffering a leg injury on July 28 during a game in Ottawa. “It’s an exciting time to get back to playing football and being out with the boys.”
Hamilton (7-8) has a chance to move into a tie for second place in the Canadian Football League‘s East Division with a win against Saskatchewan (6-9) coupled with a loss by Montreal against Ottawa on Thanksgiving Monday.
The game will be broadcast on CHML radio, starting with the Pregame Show at 6 p.m. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. Fans can catch The 5th Quarter postgame show at approximately 10:30 p.m.
“Mentally I feel good. Physically I feed good. And I think the boys are confident and ready to go,” added Mitchell.
The 33-year-old QB has been hounded by the injury bug all season and played just one full game in 2023, Hamilton’s season opener in Winnipeg on June 9. Mitchell returned from an abductor injury on July 28 against the Redblacks only to hurt his leg late in the fourth quarter of that contest.
Mitchell has completed 58 percent of his passes (56-for-96) this season for 714 yards with three touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Saturday night’s game in Regina marks the 101st time the Tiger-Cats and Roughriders will meet since 1961. The Riders have come out on top more often than not, sporting a head-to-head record of 51 wins, 45 losses and four ties.
The Roughriders will honour Hall of Fame running back George Reed, who died on Oct. 1. The Saskatchewan government has also proclaimed Oct. 7 ‘George Reed Day’.
Reed played 13 seasons (1963-1975) with the Riders and won his only Grey Cup in 1966. He was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player in 1965 and his 134 career rushing touchdowns remains a record to this day.
The Roughriders will try to halt a four-game losing streak in what will be their only meeting against the Tiger-Cats this season.
Hamilton running back James Butler needs 58 rushing yards to become the first Ticat to reach the 1,000 yard mark since DeAndra Cobb did it in 2010. Butler joined the 1,000 yard club for the first time last year while he played for the B.C. Lions.