Calgary @ Ottawa preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 27, 2016 ) Calgary 33, Ottawa 39

The Ottawa Redblacks begin defence of their Grey Cup title when they host the Calgary Stampeders in a rematch of the title game Friday. The Redblacks pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Grey Cup history when they shocked the Stampeders 39-33 in overtime after falling short against the Edmonton Eskimos 26-20 in the championship game the previous year, and hope the pieces are in place to make their third straight appearance in the title game.

"You can always be proud of it and remember it but it's important to turn the page," Ottawa coach Rick Campbell told reporters. "Our goal is to be a playoff team and see what kind of damage we can do from there." The Stampeders were unable to parlay a 15-win regular season into a Grey Cup victory and will be eager to begin their quest to return to the championship game. Bo Levi Mitchell won the CFL's Most Outstanding Player award after throwing for 5,385 yards and 32 touchdowns, and formed one of the most feared quarterback-running back tandems in the league with Jerome Messam, who won his first career rushing title with 1,198 yards, and the dynamic duo hopes to exact a measure of revenge in the nation's capital. "It took a long time to get over what happened," Messam told reporters. "We have a lot of guys that were here last year and they still have that bad taste in their mouth."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TSN, ESPNews

ABOUT THE STAMPEDERS (2016: 16-3-1): DaVaris Daniels is on the verge of becoming one of the league's most prolific receivers after catching 51 passes for 885 yards and nine touchdowns in 11 games en route to earning the CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie award in 2016. Calgary's secondary, which recorded a league-high 80 pass breakups, is banged up as Brandon Smith is out for the foreseeable future while all-stars Tommie Campbell (hamstring) and Jamar Wall (foot) are questionable for the season opener. Andrew Buckley, who tied a CFL record for the most rushing touchdowns by a Canadian quarterback with eight, earned the backup role behind Mitchell and former Iowa Hawkeyes star Ricky Stanzi beat out Mitchell Gale for the third option under centre.

ABOUT THE REDBLACKS (2016: 10-9-1): Ottawa begins life without Grey Cup MVP Henry Burris, who retired after the historic victory, but Trevor Harris is a more than capable replacement as he threw for 3,301 yards and 16 touchdowns in 12 appearances last season.The Redblacks raided the Toronto Argonauts by snapping up wide receivers Diontae Spencer and Kenny Shaw, and defensive back A.J. Jefferson after losing Ernest Jackson and Chris Williams, who combined for 165 catches and 20 touchdowns last season, in free agency. Ottawa released 25 players Sunday, including former Toronto wide receiver Tori Gurley and Shakir Bell, who rushed for 1,058 yards in two previous seasons with Edmonton, to meet the league's roster requirements ahead of Week 1.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Calgary has won 14 or more games in four consecutive seasons.

2. The Stampeders have won four of their last five season openers.

3. The Redblacks led the league in passing yards per game (343.9) in 2016.

PREDICTION: Stampeders 27, Redblacks 26