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Banjo Bowl
Saskatchewan Roughriders
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
First meetingSeptember 12, 2004
Blue Bombers 27, Roughriders 24
Latest meetingSeptember 7, 2024
Blue Bombers 26, Roughriders 21
Next meetingSeptember 2025
Statistics
Meetings total20
All-time seriesBlue Bombers lead, 13–7
Largest victoryRoughriders: 55–10 (2009)
Blue Bombers: 51–6 (2023)
Smallest victoryRoughriders: 25–24 (2012)
Blue Bombers: 27–24 (2004)
Longest win streakBlue Bombers: 5 (2019–present)
Current win streakBlue Bombers: 5
(2019–present)

The Banjo Bowl is the annual rematch game between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) after the Labour Day Classic. While the traditional Labour Day Classic game is always played on the Sunday before Labour Day at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, Saskatchewan (previously held at Taylor Field), there is usually a rematch on the following weekend between these two rival prairie teams at Princess Auto Stadium (previously held at Canad Inns Stadium) in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

History

[edit]

From 1982 to 2003 consecutively, Saskatchewan hosted Winnipeg in the Labour Day Classic. This game was always held in Regina on the Sunday before Labour Day Monday. Some of these Labour Day Classic games were part of a home-and-home series. In 1984 and 1988, Winnipeg hosted Saskatchewan in the game before the Labour Day Classic. In 1986, 1991 to 1995, and 1998, Winnipeg hosted Saskatchewan in the game after the Labour Day Classic.

Dave Ritchie, Winnipeg's head coach from 1999 to 2004, would ask, "Why can’t we play [the Labour Day Classic] game in Winnipeg once in awhile?"[1] Ritchie knew the visitors should have a clear disadvantage playing in a jacked-up, jam-packed stadium, and felt that Winnipeg should benefit once in a while.[1] At one time, there were discussions about occasionally letting Winnipeg enjoy the home-field advantage and perhaps alternating year by year the site of the Labour Day Classic.[1] Every year starting in 2004, Saskatchewan has hosted the Labour Day Classic and Winnipeg has hosted the Labour Day Rematch. As of the 2024 season, Winnipeg leads the series 13–7.

As on Labour Day weekend when many Winnipeg fans visit Regina to support the Bombers, many Saskatchewan fans visit Winnipeg the following weekend to support the 'Riders. Many come, tongue-in-cheek, with banjos.

Despite not being an official event, the Canadian Football League website promotes the game by referring to it as "Banjo Bowl" in some of its online coverage[2] as does the league's official television broadcaster, TSN.[3] In 2013, the Premier of Saskatchewan, Brad Wall, joined in the spirit of the event by posting a video on his YouTube channel making reference to the rivalry and the Banjo Bowl game.[4] The Riders themselves have avoided the use of the title "Banjo Bowl" in official communications, referring to the game as the "Labour Day rematch".[5]

Name

[edit]

The "Banjo Bowl" moniker was coined by Blue Bombers board member David Asper in early 2004, inspired by an infamous comment made by Bombers placekicker Troy Westwood in the week prior to a 2003 Western Division Semi-final game between the two teams. Westwood was quoted in the media as saying that people from Regina were "a bunch of banjo-pickin' inbreds."[6] He later apologized halfheartedly for those comments, saying that "the vast majority of the people in Saskatchewan have no idea how to play the banjo."[7] This further fuelled the Winnipeg–Saskatchewan football rivalry and has made the rematch game even more of an event. The game has been sold out every year since 2005.

Results

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Year Date Winner Score Venue Attendance TV Roughriders QB Blue Bombers QB
2004 September 12 Blue Bombers 27–24[8] Canad Inns Stadium 27,160 Sportsnet Henry Burris Kevin Glenn
2005 September 10 Roughriders 19–17[9] Canad Inns Stadium 29,653 CBC Marcus Crandell Kevin Glenn
2006 September 10 Blue Bombers 27–23[10] Canad Inns Stadium 30,026 TSN Kerry Joseph Kevin Glenn
2007 September 9 Blue Bombers 34–15[11] Canad Inns Stadium 29,783 TSN Kerry Joseph Kevin Glenn
2008 September 7 Roughriders 34–31[12] Canad Inns Stadium 29,770 TSN Michael Bishop Kevin Glenn
2009 September 13 Roughriders 55–10[13] Canad Inns Stadium 29,533 TSN Darian Durant Michael Bishop
2010 September 12 Blue Bombers 31–2[14] Canad Inns Stadium 29,533 TSN Darian Durant Steven Jyles
2011 September 11 Roughriders 45–23[15] Canad Inns Stadium 30,518 TSN Darian Durant Buck Pierce
2012 September 9 Roughriders 25–24[16] Canad Inns Stadium 30,077 TSN Darian Durant Joey Elliott
2013 September 8 Blue Bombers 25–13[17] Investors Group Field 33,500 TSN Darian Durant Justin Goltz
2014 September 7 Roughriders 30–24[18] Investors Group Field 33,234 TSN Darian Durant Drew Willy
2015 September 12 Blue Bombers 22–7[19] Investors Group Field 35,156 TSN Brett Smith Matt Nichols
2016 September 10 Blue Bombers 17–10[20] Investors Group Field 33,234 TSN Darian Durant Matt Nichols
2017 September 9 Blue Bombers 48–28[21] Investors Group Field 33,134 TSN Kevin Glenn Matt Nichols
2018 September 8 Roughriders 32–27[22] Investors Group Field 33,134 TSN Zach Collaros Matt Nichols
2019 September 7 Blue Bombers 35–10[23] IG Field 33,134 TSN Cody Fajardo Chris Streveler
2020 Not played due to COVID-19
2021 September 11 Blue Bombers 33–9[24] IG Field 33,234 TSN Cody Fajardo Zach Collaros
2022 September 10 Blue Bombers 54–20[25] IG Field 33,234 TSN Cody Fajardo Zach Collaros
2023 September 9 Blue Bombers 51–6[26] IG Field 32,343 TSN Jake Dolegala Zach Collaros
2024 September 7 Blue Bombers 26–21[27] Princess Auto Stadium 32,343 CTV[28] Trevor Harris Zach Collaros

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Darrell Davis: Labour Day Classic is part feud, part tradition for Riders, Bombers".
  2. ^ "Preview: Bombers, Riders Set for 'Banjo Bowl' in Winnipeg". cfl.ca. September 7, 2013. Archived from the original on September 11, 2013. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  3. ^ TSN story Archived December 16, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Premier picks on Bombers prior to Banjo Bowl". CBC News. September 6, 2013. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  5. ^ "Riders looking to squash 'Banjo Bowl' name for Labour Day rematch with Winnipeg". CTV News Regina. 2023-09-07. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  6. ^ Penton, Kirk (September 9, 2006). "Evolution of the Banjo Bowl". Winnipeg Sun. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved 2009-09-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. ^ Jones, Terry (September 2, 2007). "Labour Pains". Calgary Sun. p. S11.
  8. ^ "Riders Unable to Pluck Victory from Bombers Sep.12/04". riderville.com. September 12, 2004. Archived from the original on February 20, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  9. ^ "Roughriders 19, Blue Bombers 17 | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". Archived from the original on 2012-08-29. Retrieved 2010-03-12.
  10. ^ "Bombers Find Right Tune to Capture Banjo Bowl". cfl.ca. September 11, 2006. Archived from the original on August 29, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  11. ^ "Blue Bombers 34, Roughriders 15". cfl.ca. September 9, 2007. Archived from the original on August 29, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  12. ^ "Riders' 17-point Comeback Stuns Bombers". cfl.ca. September 7, 2008. Archived from the original on August 29, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  13. ^ "Sunday Sep. 9, 2007: Saskatchewan @ Winnipeg Recap". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on 2009-09-15.
  14. ^ "Riders Out of Tune in Bombers Banjo Bowl Win". cfl.ca. September 12, 2010. Archived from the original on May 25, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  15. ^ "Riders dispatch Bombers in Banjo Bowl | CBC Sports". CBC News. 2011-09-12. Archived from the original on 2021-04-18.
  16. ^ "Green Sweep" Riders Shock Bombers, Win Banjo Bowl". cfl.ca. September 9, 2012. Archived from the original on September 12, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  17. ^ "Bombers Strum Their Way to Banjo Bowl Victory". cfl.ca. September 8, 2013. Archived from the original on September 26, 2015. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  18. ^ "Heavy Price: Riders Win Banjo Bowl, Lose Durant". cfl.ca. September 7, 2014. Archived from the original on September 8, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  19. ^ "Back at Ya: Nichols Strong-arms Bombers in Rematch". cfl.ca. November 29, 2015. Archived from the original on September 13, 2015. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  20. ^ "Strumming along: Bombers win Banjo Bowl, lose Harris to injury". cfl.ca. September 10, 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  21. ^ "Saskatchewan Roughriders Winnipeg Blue Bombers game stats". cfl.ca. September 9, 2017. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  22. ^ "Riders defeat Bombers in wild Banjo Bowl for fourth straight win". cfl.ca. September 8, 2018. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
  23. ^ "Strummin' Along: Monster first half powers Bombers to Banjo Bowl victory". cfl.ca. September 7, 2019. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
  24. ^ "Bombers defeat Riders for a second-straight Banjo Bowl title". cfl.ca. September 11, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  25. ^ "BOMBERS DOMINATE IN WIN OVER RIDERS IN LABOUR DAY REMATCH". cfl.ca. September 10, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  26. ^ "Bombers defeat Riders for a fourth straight Banjo Bowl title". cfl.ca. September 9, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  27. ^ "Bombers get best of Riders again in Labour Day rematch". Canadian Football League. September 7, 2024.
  28. ^ "The Biggest Game On The Biggest Stage: 111th Grey Cup set to shine on CTV". CFL.ca. 2024-06-06. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
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