As the 2026 season approaches, CFL.ca has a new series making the case for every team as a contender to win the 113th Grey Cup, highlighting three reasons why each club has a path to the championship. The series is not intended to make predictions, but to showcase the strengths and potential routes for each team entering the new campaign.
The BC Lions haven’t been back to the Grey Cup since winning it all in 2011, but 2026 presents a real opportunity to change that.
With an elite quarterback, continuity on offence and targeted upgrades on defence, the pieces are in place for a return.
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1. NATHAN ROURKE AT THE PEAK OF HIS POWERS
Everything in BC begins with Nathan Rourke.
The reigning Most Outstanding Player is coming off a season that saw him throw for 5,290 yards and 31 touchdowns, while adding 564 yards on the ground to lead all CFL quarterbacks.
“For one, we got the MOC and MOP leading our team,” said receiver Justin McInnis when asked why BC should be viewed as a Grey Cup favourite.
At 27 and entering his fifth CFL season, Rourke now brings experience to match his skillset. He’s been through playoff football and understands the margins that separate wins from losses.
“There were a number of opportunities that we missed last year, especially in the Western Final,” said Rourke during the CFL’s off-season content capture in April.
The supporting cast around Rourke remains one of the league’s best.
Keon Hatcher Sr., the CFL’s leading receiver in 2025, and 1,000-yard rusher James Butler both return on new deals. Butler will keep defences honest, while Hatcher and fellow All-CFL receiver McInnis form the league’s most productive receiving duo from a year ago.
With that foundation in place, the next step for Rourke is turning elite production into a Grey Cup run.
2. OFFENSIVE GROWTH UNDER BUCK PIERCE
As deadly as BC’s offence was last year, year two under Buck Pierce could be what takes it to the next level.
Pierce’s first year in BC saw the Lions lead the CFL in scoring (31.1 points per game) and total offence, but the growth within his system was clear as the season went on.
After a 2-6 start heading into their Week 9 bye, BC went 8-2 down the stretch while averaging 36.3 points per game, a significant jump from the 24.5 they posted through the first half.
“You look at the second half of the year, our offence was putting up numbers that haven’t been seen in a while,” said McInnis.
He’s not far off. Sustained over a full season, that scoring pace would be the highest the CFL has seen since 1997.
The focus in 2026 will be producing against the league’s best. In four games against the eventual Grey Cup champion Roughriders a year ago, they averaged 23.25 points per game.
“The Riders made more plays than we did,” Rourke reflected. “We’ve got to have some more situational awareness and understand there’s certain situations where we can’t make mistakes.”
With a full season of familiarity in Pierce’s system now behind them, the offence has the potential to lead the league again and push into historic territory.
3. GAME-BREAKING FRONT SEVEN
The Lions already had one of the CFL’s most disruptive pass rushes in 2025, pacing the league with 45 sacks. Mathieu Betts led the way with a dominant 15-sack season, but unfortunately went down on the opening play of the Western Final’s final drive. His absence allowed Saskatchewan to move the ball and seal the game.
BC’s off-season response sought to add depth to make sure they can match even the league’s best offences.
“We’ve got some great additions on defence here that I think will really step our defensive game up,” said Justin McInnis.
The additions of Darnell Sankey and Casey Sayles bring proven production and stability to the middle of the defence, reinforcing a unit that allowed the third-most rushing yards last season.
The Lions are now better built for early downs, forcing offences into predictable passing situations, where Betts and the pass rush are at their best.
