Saskatchewan Roughriders Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Regular season history
First meeting	September 12, 2004
First result	WPG 27, SK 24
Last meeting	September 13, 2009
style="vertical-align: top;" | Next meeting	@Blue Bombers September 12, 2010
[1] (2009)
Smallest victory	SK 19, WPG 17 (2005)
Current streak	SK W2 (2008—present)
All-time series	Tie 3-3

The Banjo Bowl is the annual rematch game between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) after the Labour Day Classic.

While the traditional Labour Day Classic game is always played on the Sunday before Labour Day at Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field in Regina, Saskatchewan, there is usually a rematch on the following weekend between these two rival prairie teams at Canad Inns Stadium in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

The "Banjo Bowl" moniker was coined by Blue Bombers board member David Asper in early 2004, inspired by an infamous comment made by Bombers placekicker Troy Westwood in the week prior to a 2003 Western Division Semi-final game between the two teams. Westwood was quoted in the media as saying that people from Regina were "a bunch of banjo-pickin' inbreds."^[2] He later apologized half-heartedly for those comments, saying that "the vast majority of the people in Saskatchewan have no idea how to play the banjo."^[3] This further fueled the Winnipeg–Saskatchewan football rivalry and has made the rematch game even more of an event. The game is sponsored by the Manitoba Lotteries. As of September 2009, Winnipeg and Saskatchewan have both won three times.

As on Labour Day weekend when many Winnipeg fans visit Regina to support the Bombers, many Saskatchewan fans visit Winnipeg the following weekend to support the 'Riders. Many come, tongue-in-cheek, with banjos.

[edit] Results

• September 12, 2004: Winnipeg 27 – Saskatchewan 24
• September 10, 2005: Winnipeg 17 – Saskatchewan 19
• September 10, 2006: Winnipeg 27 – Saskatchewan 23
• September 9, 2007: Winnipeg 34 – Saskatchewan 15
• September 7, 2008: Winnipeg 31 - Saskatchewan 34
• September 13, 2009 Winnipeg 10 - Saskatchewan 55^[1]
• September 12, 2010 TBA

[edit] References

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