CFL playoffs open today: Toronto hosts Winnipeg, Saskatchewan visits BC in semi-final doubleheader

CANADA — The Canadian Football League (CFL) playoffs open today with a semi-final doubleheader that will decide the last two places in the division finals. The Eastern Semi-Final sees the Toronto Argonauts host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at BMO Field at 1pm Eastern; the Western Semi-Final follows with the BC Lions hosting the Saskatchewan Roughriders at BC Place in Vancouver at 4:30pm Eastern.

East: Winnipeg crosses over for a second straight year; the season series is tied

Winnipeg crosses over into the East Division bracket for the second consecutive season. Both teams finished the regular season at 9-9, and the teams split their regular-season series. According to 3DownNation, Winnipeg will start Dru Brown at quarterback, with Zach Collaros moved to the one-game injured list with a rib injury. The Eastern Semi-Final airs on TSN 1, TSN 4, RDS and CTV.

West: BC hosts the defending champions; both teams finished 10-8

In the West, BC and Saskatchewan both finished 10-8, with BC winning two of the teams' three regular-season meetings. Saskatchewan are the defending Grey Cup champions, and the two teams meet in the postseason for a third straight year. The Western Semi-Final airs on TSN, RDS and CFL+.

What comes next: division finals November 7, Grey Cup November 15

The two semi-final winners advance to the division finals on November 7 — the Eastern Final in Montreal and the Western Final in Edmonton — where the two division champions await after first-round byes. The postseason concludes with the 113th Grey Cup at McMahon Stadium in Calgary on Sunday, November 15.