Football on TV This Week: Our CFL Week 8 Picks
Midsummer is the quiet stretch of the football calendar — the NFL and college seasons are still weeks away — but there's real football on right now: the CFL is deep into its schedule, and most of it is free to stream in the US. Week 8 gives us a four-game slate headlined by a genuine West Division heavyweight bout. Here's what we'd watch, and exactly where.
Editor's Picks
Edmonton Elks at Saskatchewan Roughriders
The game of the week, full stop. Two of the West Division's best meet with first place on the line: as of late July the Edmonton Elks sat atop the West and the Saskatchewan Roughriders were right behind them, so this one carries real standings weight rather than being a midsummer formality. Mosaic Stadium in Regina is one of the CFL's best atmospheres, and the Riders are notoriously tough at home.
Why watch: a top-of-the-table clash between two contenders, and it's on US television — CBS Sports Network carries it live.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Montreal Alouettes
The class of the East Division hosts a live-wire rival. The Montreal Alouettes have been the CFL's early-season story, out to a commanding lead in the East, while the Hamilton Tiger-Cats have hovered around .500 and will be desperate to keep pace. Percival Molson Stadium, tucked into the side of Mount Royal, is one of the great settings in the league.
Why watch: a division leader trying to keep its foot down against a rival that can turn a game in a hurry. On CBS Sports Network.
Calgary Stampeders at Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg have been near the top of a stacked West, and they host a Calgary Stampeders side scuffling in the bottom half of the division — the kind of spot where a contender is expected to take care of business but a proud franchise like Calgary can play spoiler. And the price is right: this one streams free on CFL+ in the US.
Toronto Argonauts at BC Lions
Two teams trying to climb back into the picture. The Toronto Argonauts and BC Lions have both had uneven starts, which makes this a four-point swing game for two sides that can't afford to fall further off the pace. BC Place under the roof is a fast, loud building. It's on CBS Sports Network.
Everything else on this week
| Thu | Edmonton Elks at Saskatchewan Roughriders · CFL | CBS Sports Network |
| Fri | Calgary Stampeders at Winnipeg Blue Bombers · CFL | CFL+ |
| Sat | Toronto Argonauts at BC Lions · CFL | CBS Sports Network |
| Sun | Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Montreal Alouettes · CFL | CBS Sports Network |
Looking ahead: the wait is almost over. College football kicks off in late August — the Week 1 slate includes heavyweight openers like Clemson at LSU and Boise State at Oregon — and the NFL follows in September, opening with a Netflix game from Melbourne, Australia (49ers at Rams). We'll have full previews of the big ones as they near; keep an eye on our game previews.
New to the CFL, or figuring out where the NFL and college seasons will live this year? Our viewing guides break down every league — what's free, what it costs, and how to watch without cable. And you can see everything on this week, with kickoffs in your local time, on the full schedule.
Kickoffs shown in US Eastern; on the live schedule they convert to your local zone automatically. Listings verified as of publication — see how we check our TV listings.
