The Edmonton Elks will take on the BC Lions on Friday night in Week 20 of the CFL season. BC has already clinched a playoff spot, while Edmonton is in need of two wins and plenty of help if they want to get to the playoffs. Before kickoff from British Columbia, you can continue reading to get my Elks vs Lions prediction for Friday night.
Our Elks vs Lions Pick
- Pick: BC Lions –5.5
- Confidence: 3/5
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Edmonton Elks vs BC Lions
- Date & Time: Friday, October 17, 2025, 10:30 PM ET
- Venue: BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia
- Broadcast: TSN
Elks vs Lions Odds
| Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|
| BC –5.5 | EDM +205 / BC –250 | 56.5 |
Key Storylines
Edmonton enters this matchup in a must-win scenario. The Elks have won two straight and remain in the hunt for a crossover spot. But their margin for error is nil. They must play aggressively and rely on the fact that they have nothing to lose if they want to win this contest. BC is on a roll, winners of four straight at home and undefeated in their last four overall.
The Lions are still playing for postseason positioning after clinching a spot. They are tied with the Calgary Stampeders for second place in West at 9-7 and finishing strong is a must to avoid falling behind the Stamps as the regular season nears its conclusion.
Quarterback Play
Cody Fajardo is expected to be under center for the Elks. Edmonton moved off Tre Ford in the middle of the season, and Fajardo has handled things since then. Fajardo is sixth in the CFL in passing yards and he has only thrown three interceptions on the year. He’ll need to manage the BC pass rush and avoid to give the Elks a shot in this contest.
Nathan Rourke is in charge of the offense for BC. His ability to stretch the field with both arm strength and mobility gives BC a strong advantage at the quarterback position. Rourke ranks second in the CFL in passing yards, trailing only Bo Levi Mitchell of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. If Rourke continues to air it out effectively at home, the Lions could get a huge win for their playoff seeding.
Betting Trends & H2H
BC has the edge over Edmonton in their recent meetings. The Lions are 8–2 ATS in their last 10 head-to-head matchups with the Elks. In this season’s opening meeting, BC handled Edmonton decisively at home and they will look for a similar result here.
Edmonton has the best record in the CFL against the spread. They are 11-5 against the spread, while BC is 8-8 in that department. But the Lions covered the spread in the first meeting between these teams this season and they will look for a similar result in this contest.
Elks vs Lions Model Projection
Score Projection: Edmonton 24 – BC 33
Win Probability: Edmonton 28% | BC 72%
Final Thoughts
Edmonton has everything to play for late in the regular season. But there is a reason that they need to win out late in the year, as they didn’t win enough games to lock up a playoff spot like BC did. With the Lions still playing for something, I’ll lay the points with the Lions in this contest at home.
