With the win, the Lions clinched second place in the West Division and a home playoff game. The victory improved B.C. to 11-7 and the Lions will now face the third-place Calgary Stampeders — who also finished with an 11-7 record — in the West semifinal on Nov. 1 in Vancouver.

It’s an October Canadian Football League game with some serious preseason vibes. Oh sure, let’s make this clear from the top: the 90 players who take the field for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Montreal Alouettes this afternoon at Princess Auto Stadium will be in all-in mode.

Football executives, players and fans in Manitoba are reacting to the announcement by the CFL of major changes the league hopes will make the game more entertaining for fans — including a shortened field and a modification of that Canadian quirk,

The B.C. Lions have an opportunity to clinch second place in the CFL’s West Division, and they'd prefer to do it without help.

The BC Lions will host the West Division semi-final following their 27-21 win against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday evening.

The CFL's rule changes are a bold series of moves, aimed at juicing the action and attracting new fans to a league in which only two of nine teams – Winnipeg and Saskatchewan – turned a profit last season.