SaskatchewanA level of confidence and trust between head coach Corey Mace and the Saskatchewan Roughriders roster will be necessary as the Riders prepare for the 112th Grey Cup in Winnipeg. Riders will head to Winnipeg to battle the Montreal Alouettes for the 112th Grey CupAlexander Quon · CBC News · Posted: Nov 09, 2025 8:22 AM EST | Last Updated: 5 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.Saskatchewan Roughriders Coach Corey Mace welcomes the chance to play in the 112th Grey Cup (Alexander Quon/CBC News)Corey Mace is at peace with himself. Wearing a green bunny hug and sitting in front of media the Saskatchewan Roughriders coach is smiling. With his team down by 7 and with three minutes left on the clock, Mace chose to settle for a field goal from the B.C. Lions’ five-yard line.A sold-out crowd at Mosaic Stadium erupted as they saw the Riders kicking team head out onto the field. Some choice words from a member of the 33,350-person crowd were loud enough to be heard in the press box. Instead of potentially tying the game, kicker Brett Lauther’s 13-yard field goal cut the Lions’ lead to 21-17. Saskatchewan Roughriders kicker Brett Lauther (12) celebrates after defeating the B.C. Lions in the CFL West Division final in Regina Nov. 8, 2025. (The Canadian Press/Heywood Yu)With 2:42 minutes left on the clock the Riders would need to get the ball back and still score a touchdown. It was a choice Mace said he had no issue making. “I’ve made aggressive decisions, I think, before on for this team and it hadn’t worked out for us in games prior,” Mace said. “I totally get [the booing]. Just have faith.” WATCH | Corey Mace says Grey Cup will be a full team effort:Riders head coach says Grey Cup game will be a full team effortHead coach Corey Mace will lead the Saskatchewan Riders to the Grey Cup in just his second season in charge of the Green and White. The decision would ultimately pay off for the Riders. The Saskatchewan defence would hold the B.C. Lions to back-to-back two-and-out possessions.Then, with 1:03 left in the fourth quarter, Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris would drive the team 74 yards down the field in just seven plays. A game-winning touchdown to wide receiver Tommy Neild would follow. There were just 11 seconds left on the clock. Saskatchewan Roughriders players pose for a photo behind the West Division trophy after defeating the B.C. Lions in the CFL West Division final in Regina on Nov, 8, 2025. (The Canadian Press/Heywood Yu)While Mace’s decision may have drawn condemnation from the crowd, the players on the field say there was no moment of hesitation. “I trust Corey Mace. He knows what he’s doing,” said Harris. “I’m sure that there was people at home going, ‘What are you doing?’ And now they’re like ‘Mace is the man.'”That level of confidence and trust between the coach and the roster is something Mace will need as the Riders prepare to travel to the 112th Grey Cup in Winnipeg. They’re set to square off against the Montreal Alouettes, a team they have had mixed results against this season. Saskatchewan beat Montreal 34-6 in their first game of the season only for the Alouettes to conquer the Riders 48-31 when the teams faced off again later in the season. Harris, who finished with 26 completions on 38 attempts, admitted he was far from perfect on Saturday but said the Riders can do much better. “This group is capable of more and our best football game we haven’t played yet,” said Harris. WATCH | ‘It’s our time,’ says Riders QB Trevor Harris:’It’s our time’: Saskatchewan Roughriders Quarterback Trevor Harris looks ahead to Grey CupTommy Nield’s three-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Trevor Harris with 11 seconds left in the game lifted the Saskatchewan Roughriders to a 24-21 West Division final victory over the visiting B.C. Lions. The Riders will travel to Winnipeg to play the Montreal Alouettes in next Sunday’s CFL Grey Cup game. With the win still fresh in the entire roster’s mind, veteran running back A.J. Ouellette told media he was already offering words of advice to teammates. “There’s gonna be a lot of distractions. There’s gonna be a lot of people trying to pump you up. You gotta stay focused, stay grounded,” said Ouellette. Mace said he was already looking forward to get a chance to review the film from the CFL East Final, where the Alouettes beat the Hamilton Tiger Cats 19-16. The second-year head coach said he’s excited to come up with a game plan. “We love being around each other and we have an opportunity to do something that we set out to do since training camp,” said Mace. It was a comment Harris echoed. “I think it’s our time.” ABOUT THE AUTHORAlexander Quon is the provincial affairs reporter for CBC Saskatchewan. He has been a reporter with CBC Saskatchewan since 2021 and is happy to be working in his hometown of Regina after half a decade in Atlantic Canada. He has previously worked with the CBC News investigative unit in Nova Scotia and Global News in Halifax. Alexander specializes in freedom of information requests and data reporting. He can be reached at: alexander.quon@cbc.ca. FacebookTwitter
How Corey Mace changed his coaching approach in West Final to send Riders to Grey Cup
