We have reached the final game of the 2025 CFL season, and we’ve got a ton of reporting about it all over our website for you to enjoy. The 112th Grey Cup has the makings of a classic, so here are our picks for the game and its two awards: Most Valuable Player and Most Valuable Canadian.
Vancouver-based reporter J.C. Abbott has clinched first place in our straight-up standings, while Regina-based reporter Brendan McGuire has won our against-the-spread standings. Below are our picks for the final Saturday of CFL action.
ABBOTT: Davis Alexander has looked good in practice all week, but I’m skeptical of his ability to evade the Saskatchewan defensive line for 60 minutes. The Riders have come into this week with a singular, unflinching focus, and they’re ready to get their fifth Grey Cup in franchise history.
Straight-up: Saskatchewan. Against the spread: Saskatchewan.
Most Valuable Player: QB Trevor Harris, Saskatchewan.
Most Valuable Canadian: DB Tevaughn Campbell, Saskatchewan.
BALLANTINE: Saskatchewan’s record in Grey Cup games is abysmal, and they’ve won the fewest of any franchise in the league. This year, they reverse that trend as Davis Alexander loses for the first time. Look for Brett Lauther to have a resurgent day that walks off the season as a champion.
Straight-up: Saskatchewan. Against the spread: Saskatchewan.
Most Valuable Player: QB Trevor Harris, Saskatchewan.
Most Valuable Canadian: K Brett Lauther, Saskatchewan.
FILOSO: Montreal has won its last three Grey Cup appearances and is led by a quarterback who has never lost a game as a starter. Montreal has the edge in experience — they have 15 players who’ve played in the Grey Cup, while Saskatchewan has eight. Even if Davis Alexander isn’t 100 percent, he’ll still hit enough explosive plays to get the job done.
Straight-up: Montreal. Against the spread: Montreal.
Most Valuable Player: REC Tyson Philpot, Montreal.
Most Valuable Canadian: REC Tyson Philpot, Montreal.
GASSON: As far as anyone can tell, Davis Alexander seems as good to go as he can be, all things considered. Saskatchewan has had a lot go their way this year as they are perhaps the deepest and most balanced team in the league. With that said, with Alexander under centre, the Als have a certain je ne sais quoi that’s hard to quantify. The good news for Rider fans is I’ve been pretty bad at predicting their losses in games that matter.
Straight-up: Montreal. Against the spread: Montreal.
Most Valuable Player: QB Davis Alexander, Montreal.
Most Valuable Canadian: DL Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund, Montreal.
HERRERA-VERGARA: Davis Alexander seems ready to go. The young passer exudes confidence, and the team follows him no matter what he does — including trash talk. This Riders team is also very good — Corey Mace is a great coach, and it’s going to be a battle in Winnipeg. I feel like Alexander will pull it off in the end.
Straight-up: Montreal. Against the spread: Montreal.
Most Valuable Player: QB Davis Alexander, Montreal.
Most Valuable Canadian: REC Tyson Philpot, Montreal.
HODGE: This has the potential to be the best Grey Cup in a long time, and the winner could easily be Saskatchewan. However, earlier this week, I said I’d pick the Alouettes if Davis Alexander’s hamstring looked good, and thus far it has. We’ve seen Alexander trash-talking after six-yard runs — imagine how much he’ll trash-talk after hoisting the Grey Cup.
Straight-up: Montreal. Against the spread: Montreal.
Most Valuable Player: QB Davis Alexander, Montreal.
Most Valuable Canadian: REC Tyson Philpot, Montreal.
HOSKINS: This should be a Grey Cup classic with both teams boasting excellent execution on both sides of the ball. There’s some lore brewing around Davis Alexander, and I see it building this week. The defences seem comparable, but that QB mobility should be the difference, with Alexander’s hamstring looking ready to go.
Straight-up: Montreal. Against the spread: Montreal.
Most Valuable Player: QB Davis Alexander, Montreal.
Most Valuable Canadian: DL Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund, Montreal.
KLEIN: This is going to be a very close game with not much separating these two teams. The difference for me is A.J. Ouellette going against a run defence that allowed Greg Bell to go for six yards per carry in the East Final. Davis Alexander is electric, but even when healthy, Saskatchewan’s pass rush is hard to deal with, and they don’t give up the big plays that the Alouettes thrive on.
Straight-up: Saskatchewan. Against the spread: Montreal.
Most Valuable Player: RB A.J. Ouellette, Saskatchewan.
Most Valuable Canadian: REC Samuel Emilus, Saskatchewan.
McGUIRE: All week long, I have been picking Montreal on the basis of no blueprint yet being available for beating Davis Alexander. However, the Riders did have Davis and the Alouettes on the mat back in Week 11 last year when Saskatchewan missed four field goals, including one that was returned to the house in a 27-24 Montreal win. That right there *is* the blueprint for Saskatchewan to win on Grey Cup Sunday.
Straight-up: Saskatchewan. Against the spread: Saskatchewan.
Most Valuable Player: DB Rolan Milligan Jr., Saskatchewan.
Most Valuable Canadian: REC Samuel Emilus, Saskatchewan.
THOMAS: I expect this to go to the final possession as there’s virtually nothing separating these two teams. Saskatchewan’s defence is a little bit better as the Alouettes let Greg Bell run all over them last week, and A.J. Ouellette will have taken notice. Davis Alexander and the Montreal offence have been extremely impressive in their undefeated run, but it feels like the time for the Green and White.
Straight-up: Saskatchewan. Against the spread: Saskatchewan.
Most Valuable Player: QB Trevor Harris, Saskatchewan.
Most Valuable Canadian: REC Samuel Emilus, Saskatchewan.
2025 records (straight-up)
ABBOTT — 59-26
HOSKINS — 56-29
McGUIRE — 56-29
HODGE — 55-30
HERRERA-VERGARA — 55-30
KLEIN — 53-32
BALLANTINE — 52-33
THOMAS — 51-34
GASSON — 48-37
FILOSO — 47-38
2025 records (against the spread)
McGUIRE — 52-32-1
ABBOTT — 45-39-1
THOMAS — 44-40-1
BALLANTINE — 43-41-1
HERRERA-VERGARA — 43-41-1
KLEIN — 43-41-1
FILOSO — 40-44-1
GASSON — 40-44-1
HODGE — 39-45-1
HOSKINS — 37-47-1
