They say Saturday Night's alright for fighting, but last night only one team put up a battle.
The Edmonton Elks treated their fans to one of the most monumental football games they've played under the Elks moniker, 31,504 fans to be exact. The Elks faced the Calgary Stampeders for what would be one of the best EE football games they've played in over 20 years, especially for a game dubbed the "Labour Day Rematch".
TAILGATE TALK
We know how busy this game gets every year but the 2026 edition of the Labour Day Rematch proved to be that much more busy. Fellow tailgaters were sure to get their visits in early as once the Tailgate "officially" opened, fans flocked through each aisle in an effort to find good food and new friends. We had made 50 Green and Gold Sliders, mini burgers with Mac and Cheese and Jalapeños on top, and fans were sure to get them while they lasted which was a mere 90 minutes. We were blessed to have surprise visitors Mark and Sharhonda Rankin, Justin Rankin's parents, and they even took some pictures at our SpEEker's Corner photo booth. The vibes were very high at the Pre-Game Party!
GAME RECAP:
3 THOUGHTS
1. When was the last time the Elks put up 50 points? The answer is 2004, the EE defeating the Ottawa Renegades by a score of 57-16. It's been a very long time since the we've seen an Edmonton football team dominate in this fashion.
2. 2nd half team did 2nd half things! The Elks and Stamps were very back-and-forth to start this contest but the Elks kicked into high gear in the 2nd Quarter and then the 2nd Half, putting up 34 points after halftime.
3. For the first time since 2019 the Edmonton Elks have punched their ticket to the playoffs. Even writing the word playoffs feels special, so many years of futility damaging the fanbase and the team's overall appeal as well. Now, we can finally say the team has returned to a playoff-worthy state as the second team to clinch their spot in the 2026 CFL Postseason.
THE POINT AFTER
HC Mark Kilam said it best in his post-game speech; That was a 3-phase beat down. Offense had themselves a night, defense matched that intensity and special teams got their first touchdown of the season.
Offensively the Green and Gold managed to put on a clinic. QB Cody Fajardo passed for 232 yards and 3 TDs, completing 14 passes on 21 attempts. QB Taylor Powell also notched a passing TD near the end of the game in relief of Fajardo during what we call "garbage time". RB Justin Rankin was injured early in the game so we saw quite a bit of RB ShunDerrick Powell, who carried the ball 14 times for 97 yards with a highlight reel hurdle displaying his athleticism. WR Joshua Cephus topped the reciver board with 6 receptions for 119 yards and 1 TD, his lone TD catch something of a highlight reel catch in itself. Another big story was the emergence of WR Joe Robustelli who made his debut just last week in Calgary due to injury, posting 5 catches for 68 yards and 2 TDs in only his second game with the team this season. WR Zach Mathis also drew into this game for 1 TD as well.
The defense has been a steady heartbeat for this team and Saturday night showed no difference. While DB Terez Reid topped the tackle board with 7 defensive tackles, LB Nick Anderson and DB Tyrell Ford each had 1 INT. DL Gavin Meyer posted 1 sack while DL Noah Taylor posted 2 sacks of his own. DB Kordell Jackson recovered and forced a fumble, and DL Silas Hubert recovered a blocked punt to give the Elks an instant touchdown on special teams.
In addition to the punt block-and-score scenario, Special Teams rose to the occasion to complete the 3-phase beat down. K Vincent Blanchard was perfect on field goals with 4 field goals, his longest coming from the 46-yard line, in addition to 5 extra points. On kickoffs his boots were big, 8 kickoffs providing 564 yards for an average of 70.5 yards per boot. That stat can be attributed to Special Teams preventing large kickoff return yards from the Red and White. P Jake Julien was steady, averaging 47.6 yards from 5 punts for a total of 238 yards, one of which was within the 10-yard zone. While Edmonton's return game wasn't spectacular, they still managed to hold onto the ball while securing decent field position for the offense.
THE FAN SIDE
Today I have nothing but appreciation for the Green and Gold, as a franchise and as a fan community. This week started with the EST Labour Day Bus, something of a tradition in only it's second year. Many fans that participated last year managed to return for Year 2 of the return of buses, a healthy sign that the event is successful. As someone that went last year I can say it was an amazing time full of singing and laughter, along with some pre-game tailgating, but the reality was that an Elks beat down at the hands of Calgary prevented the Bus experience from being the ultimate fan trip. This year, however, the Elks pulled victory from the jaws of defeat and in typical 2026 EE fashion, the second half EE victory brought fans to their feet with pure joy. Elks fans finally had the opportunity to not only invade McMahon Stadium, but to celebrate throughout it's concourse after a much-needed victory. Queue the green LED lights on the bus and with that, both team and fanbase gained momentum for the Rematch at the Concrete Castle of the North.
And what a rematch it was. Saturday's game was so much different from the Labour Day Classics of the past. Even last year with all of the hype and banter, Calgary's fans flocked to Commonwealth to take part of the traditional Rivalry Rematch but it was the Stampeders that held the edge in the standings. The Elks were attempting to make a playoff run and unfortunately for the Elks, the Rematch win would only help their mission so much before the dream faded away. This year the Elks have the edge and with a record of 9-3 going into this game, you could tell there was a different vibe amongst the Green and Gold faithful. Instead of worry, skepticism and wonder there was more of a fervorous feel amongst the fans; Edmonton Elks fans knew the stakes and confidence was oozing from the Tailgate to the Main Gates. There were no concerns about if the Elks were punching their ticket to the playoffs, and the concern wasn't there for the when either. With over 30,000 fans entering Commonwealth Stadium for the second Elks game this season, the crowd understood the memo and from first kickoff to the final whistle the building was loud and boisterous. With the Upper Deck open you could feel the energy and excitement in the air, EE football all the way back for the first time since 2019.
As a fan of this team and a Season Ticket Holder for over 10 years, this week has been one of the best in my Double E fan life. It's hard to put into words exactly how this fan feels after supporting this team through it all, sitting in Section X for each of those games during the losing streak to clinching the playoffs for the first time as the Elks brand. There are many of us out there and Saturday's victory feels that much sweeter for the fans that never hopped off the wagon.
NEXT UP: EDMONTON ELKS @ TORONTO ARGONAUTS SEPTEMBER 19TH
The Edmonton Elks will fly to Toronto with a mission of sinking the Argonauts at BMO Field. With a 10-3 record and home playoff implications on the doorstep, the Elks will need to keep their foot on the gas pedal in order to secure a playoff game at Commonwealth Stadium in November. Defeating the Argonauts will be no easy task as QB Chad Kelly and company are fighting for their own position in the CFL East Division standings. We will find out if the Elks are that much closer topping the CFL West Division next Saturday at 1PM Mountain.
Buckle Up!