CFL Power Rankings: Alouettes Hold Top Spot as Resurgent Lions and Bombers Surge

The Montreal Alouettes (9-2) are still the team to beat in the Canadian Football League, holding onto the top spot in the post-Labour Day power rankings despite a bruising 44-28 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. That defeat snapped a dominant seven-game winning streak, but Montreal's grip on the East Division remains absolute as the 2026 season enters its final third.[1][8]

Quarterback Davis Alexander has been the engine of Montreal's run, leading the CFL with 3,657 passing yards and tying for the league lead with 24 touchdown passes. A late-game calf injury against Winnipeg sparked momentary panic, but MRI results showed no structural damage, clearing him to start this Friday. "We only ran 43 plays or something," Alexander said of the loss. "We were able to put up 28 points, but on a couple of those two-and-outs, if I get the ball rolling, the looks that we were expecting were there… A lot of it falls on me."[4][7]

Alexander's primary target, Tyson Philpot, is quietly putting together a historic campaign. The Canadian receiver is just 346 yards shy of Terry Evanshen's single-season national record of 1,662 receiving yards, a mark that has rarely been challenged. With Montreal's offense averaging 35.9 points and 438.8 yards per game, Philpot is on pace to shatter the milestone.[1]

Behind Montreal, the Edmonton Elks (8-3) sit comfortably at number two. The idle Elks have opened a six-point lead over the bottom of the West Division, putting them on track to host a playoff game for the first time since 2015 and make the postseason for the first time since 2019.[1][3]

The most dangerous team in the league right now, however, is the BC Lions (6-5). After a miserable 1-5 start to the 2026 campaign, the Lions have ripped off five consecutive victories to vault to number three in the rankings. Their latest statement was a 45-24 dismantling of the Ottawa Redblacks, driven by a historic performance in the backfield.[2][6]

Running back Zander Horvath has become the ultimate equalizer for BC. Against Ottawa, Horvath rushed for 164 yards on 24 carries and tied a single-game franchise record with four rushing touchdowns. The bruising back now leads the CFL with 16 total touchdowns, sitting just six shy of the BC franchise record set by Cory Philpot in 1995.[5][6]

"The Zander Horvath show was once again in full effect," the Lions noted in their official game recap, as the second-year power back collected his third CFL Player of the Week honor in five games. His emergence has stabilized an offense that also saw quarterback Nathan Rourke throw for 355 yards and two touchdowns in the win, overcoming two early interceptions.[5][6]

The Saskatchewan Roughriders (7-4) hold steady at number four after snapping a two-game losing skid. They rallied for a 28-24 victory over the Toronto Argonauts at Mosaic Stadium, keeping them two points ahead of the surging Blue Bombers in the West Division standings.[2][8]

Winnipeg (6-5) made the biggest jump of the week, climbing to fifth after handing Montreal their first loss since June. Quarterback Zach Collaros looked like his vintage self, completing 81.3 percent of his passes for 324 yards and two touchdowns without an interception.[2][8]

The stakes for Week 14 are massive. Montreal can officially clinch a playoff berth and a home postseason game with a victory over the Lions at Percival Molson Stadium on Friday night. "Our goal every week is to go 1-0," Alouettes head coach Jason Maas said. "That is real in our building. We prepare every week, we respect our opponents." With BC looking to make it six straight and Winnipeg breathing down Saskatchewan's neck, the battle for the West is wide open.[7]