REGINA - The Saskatchewan Roughriders face a tough test Sunday evening, as they hope to get back in the win column against the BC Lions.
The LIons enter the game with a 7-2 record, while the Riders are reeling at 4-5 following a 41-12 blowout on the road to the Montreal Alouettes.
Worse yet was the loss, for the second time this year, of their starting quarterback during the game. Mason Fine went down with a leg injury and is out for this game with BC. Jake Dolegala finished the game against the Alouettes and gets his first start Sunday, with Shea Patterson the backup.
Also in the lineup for the game is Antonio Pipkin, new quarterback who was acquired this week by the Riders in a trade with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to help fill the current holes at the position.
Pipkin, who has five years of experience in the league, is behind both Dolegala and Patterson in the depth chart.
Changes from the last game see both T.J. Brunson in at linebacker and Mitch Picton in at wide receiver. Back in the lineup is Kian Schaffer-Baker, who is in at slotback after a long stint out with injury.
If the Riders hope to win, they need to get back to strong defensive football and also need to get back on the scoreboard, with the team relying too much on Brett Lauther to put them on the scoreboard by kicking field goals. They will again be looking for strong play from Jamal Morrow who enters the game with 502 rushing yards, as well as a return to heroics from Mario Alford on kick returns and from Nic Marshall on late-game interceptions.
The last time the Lions and Riders met was July 22 when the Lions got a 19-9 win on home turf, with Lauther responsible for all the Riders scoring.
The contest takes place at Mosaic Stadium with game time at 5 p.m. Sunday evening.
Family Day at the stadium
The theme for Sunday night at the stadium is Family Day, which will see activities for kids and families throughout the day. A Gainer Plush Doll will be handed out to the first 4,000 fans that are 12 and under.
Magician Sitruc James performed a magic act on the Coors Light stage, and two legendary Roughriders from the 2013 team, Chris Getzlaf and Neal Hughes, were in the park signing autographs.
