Labour Day: By The Numbers

The Eskimos have certainly had their share of success over the years in the intense mid-season home-and-home series with the Calgary Stampeders, but not lately.

Calgary has dominated both the Labour Day Classic and the rematch at The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium four or five days later in the first week of September for most of the last decade.

The Stampeders had won each of the last five games – and seven of the last eight – on Labour Day Monday as of 2016, plus nine of the last 10 games in the rematch in Edmonton.

The Esks lone rematch win over Calgary since 2007 was a 27-16 decision in 2015 that snapped the Stamps’ 12-game winning streak against Edmonton. Quarterback Mike Reilly returned from a knee injury to make his first start since the season opener and threw for 352 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Eskimos to victory.

The game marked the start of a 10-game Edmonton winning streak that culminated with a Grey Cup victory over the Ottawa RedBlacks at Winnipeg.

Also of note:

• Calgary has swept the two-game mid-season series six times in the last eight years.
• The Eskimos’ last win on Labour Day was at least decisive – 35-7 – in 2011.
• The last time the Eskimos both games was in 2004.
• The last time Edmonton dominated the rematch game was from 2002-04, when the Eskimos outscored the Stampeders 127-23 over three straight games.
• Edmonton won 12 of the first 17 rematch games, which started in 1989, but Calgary currently leads the series 14-13.
• As of 2016, the teams were tied 25-25-1 in the Labour Day Classic, which has been played in Calgary between the Stamps and the Esks every year since 1969, with the exception of 1973 and 1981 (when Winnipeg and Toronto, respectively, were the opponents). The Eskimos and Stampeders also played five games in Calgary on Labour Day from 1959-63.