Posted at 10:00 AM EST. Odds are subject to change.

Ottawa +7½ -110 over Saskatchewan

9:00 PM EST. Saskatchewan has earned plenty of respect with its strong start, but this number asks the Roughriders to win comfortably against a divisional opponent that has been far more competitive than its record suggests. Ottawa has been in enough close games to show it can hang around, and teams playing with nothing to lose often become dangerous in the underdog role. The pressure rests squarely on Saskatchewan to justify being a sizeable favorite, while the Redblacks can simply play loose and keep the game within reach.

Ottawa has been better than the headlines suggest. The Redblacks have continued to move the football and create scoring opportunities, but a handful of costly mistakes have turned competitive efforts into losses. Those types of issues have a way of evening out over time, especially against an opponent that knows it's expected to win. Keeping this contest close for four quarters is a far more realistic scenario than the betting line implies.

Saskatchewan has also found itself in plenty of tight games despite all the praise it has received. The Roughriders have needed to grind out victories rather than dominate opponents, and that opens the door for an underdog capable of matching their intensity. Ottawa doesn't need to control the game to cash this ticket. Staying within striking distance and forcing Saskatchewan to earn every possession is enough to put the points in play throughout the night.

The value sits with Ottawa and the generous cushion. Divisional games have a habit of becoming hard-fought battles where every possession carries extra importance, and this matchup has all the ingredients for another one. Saskatchewan may very well come away with the victory, but asking the Roughriders to separate from an Ottawa team desperate to change its season is a much tougher assignment. Taking the points with the Redblacks is the play tonight.

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