Game Day HQ | The Labour Day Classic

The Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders will meet tonight in the annual Labour Day Classic and one of the pre-game storylines that emerged on Saturday was Singer being promoted to the active roster, where he'll start in place of an injured Nic Demski.

Opportunity is knocking loudly for the St. Paul, Minn. product and those around him are eager to see him flash his skills on the big stage.

"Super-talented kid. A guy that when he first stepped on the field for us during training camp caught a bunch of eyes," said QB1 Zach Collaros on Saturday at the team's hotel here in the Saskatchewan capital. "He's a really talented football player who has put a lot of work in since Day 1 of training camp.

"He's done a great job of learning what we do and staying on top of that and as the season has progressed just staying ready so I'm really excited for him. He can do a lot of things. This is a really cool game to make your first game. I think he'll have a lot of fun with it."

A product of Arizona, where he was one of the Pac-12's top receivers in 2022, USC, and Utah where he had 53 receptions for 702 yards in his senior season, Singer spent the entire preseason with the Jacksonville Jaguars last summer, appearing in three preseason games.

"I hope he has fun. I hope he has a clean game," said head coach Mike O'Shea. "For every young guy there's going to be a mistake or a play they'll want back but that's the same for a vet, too. He's worked hard right from training camp on; everybody's liked him. You see the catches he makes in practice -- he's very athletic and a good student of the game.

"It's an exciting time for a young guy."

Demski, FYI, has been moved to the one-game injured list with an ankle injury and could be available as early as next Saturday's Banjo Bowl.

"Not having Nic for any game is tough," Collaros admitted. "As I've always said about Nic, he does so much for our offence, so much for our team. On a personal level, I've shared the field with him so many times and so many times in this game so it's definitely difficult from a team standpoint and from a sentimental standpoint for me.

"He's here and he'll be helping the guys get ready. He's always invaluable for us and he will be for us (today) as well."

ICYMI, here is our Game Preview:

And what follows are this week's collection of notes and quotes in this week's edition of Game Day HQ...

QUOTABLE:

Collaros on the LDC, which will be his 10th after playing in Saskatchewan, Hamilton and Toronto as well:

"It's a lot of fun. The week leading up to it is always a lot of fun. There's great anticipation in the province and like I always say, it's really good for both provinces because it brings out the best of both teams and both fan bases. Playing here, it's an amazing place to play and I've had the privilege as a Rider and now, luckily, as a Bomber. It's just a great place to play, a great fan base and there will be a lot of fun energy in there."

Jake Ceresna, meanwhile, will complete his own Labour Day Classic trifecta by suiting up for the Blue Bombers today. He's also played for the Toronto Argonauts in the Argos-Hamilton Tiger-Cats LDC rivalry, as well as the Battle of Alberta with the Edmonton Elks.

“It’s cool. It’s pretty unique and it’s just cool to see the CFL tradition and be a part of every single rivalry on Labour Day," he said. “They’re all great. They all bring out the best of the CFL. Lots of fans. Crazy environments. Flyovers. All that stuff. It’s what makes the CFL great.

“I don’t want to say which one is the best before this one so I’ll just say they’re all awesome."

COLLECTING HIS RING

Blue Bombers receiver Tommy Nield, a member of the Saskatchewan Roughrider last season, will finally be getting his 2025 championship ring prior to the game.

“I haven’t heard from anyone yet but maybe right before the game or when I get there someone will reach out," he said on Friday. “I’ll probably open it as soon as I get it. I’m happy to have that and it will be the final, closing chapter on last year."

Nield, meanwhile, becomes the latest player to suit up for both the Blue Bombers and Riders in the Labour Day Classic.

“These are the two most exciting games of the year just in terms of the energy from the fans and just the game-day atmosphere," Nield said. "It just feels like these games mean a little more to the fans on both sides. I’m excited to be a part of it in blue this year."

LEFTOVER BIT...

We told the story of Pat Neufeld nearing the 200 game mark in his career and the meaning of the Labour Day Classic in this piece, and what was left out of the story was a little nugget on his first year with the Roughriders and meeting his favourite player -- Saskatchewan legendary O-lineman Gene Makowsky:

"I had his jersey growing up," Neufeld said. "He was my favourite player. And then when I made the team. I was his roommate on the road, and I was a bit star-struck. It thought, 'This is going to be so cool' and he maybe said 10 words to me all year.

"He was just a quiet guy who had a regimented routine. That was Gene-o. He didn't say a lot, but his play was unbelievable."

NOTABLE

• The Riders lead the LDC series 39-22 (.639).

• Saskatchewan has taken 16 of the past 20 editions of the LDC with Winnipeg’s most recent victory coming in 2024. Their previous four LDCs were decided by four points or less.

• Mike O’Shea is 3-7 as a head coach in the LDC, while Corey Mace is 1-1.

• Winnipeg has played in the most games decided in the final three minutes (nine), with a record of 5-4.

• Zach Collaros is a career 14-7 against Saskatchewan. He is 7-2 in LDC matchups (3-0 with HAM, 1-0 with SSK and 3-1 with WPG).

• Brady Oliveria (956) is 44 rushing yards away from his fifth consecutive 1,000-yard+ season, which would break Norman Kwong’s record of four straight 1,000-yard seasons by a Canadian (1955-58).

• Trevor Harris is a career 6-10 against Winnipeg. He is 2-3 in LDC matchups (1-1 with EDM, 0-1 with TOR and 1-1 with SSK). He has thrown at least one TD in each game this season.

ICYMI:

Sam Calvert and I have boots on the ground here, along with most of our content team, and we set the stage for the Labour Day Classic in this week's edition of Game Day -1: