So you’re saying the Grey Cup playoff format will look different next fall, huh? I’m surprised this hasn’t been widely talked about since the announcement. Okay, I’m kidding!

I’ve been looking ahead and wondering what this new format will actually look like. I mean, I know the rules of the format, but with the extra games, how will everything be scheduled? Will all the games be played in one day? Will teams be forced to play on the dreaded Sundays? Maybe the league will spread things out and play one game a night in primetime during the opening round.

Wait, the playoffs start on Thanksgiving weekend? That has loads of potential for massive television numbers. But do we really want teams playing on a Monday and then having to turn around and play again on a short week? Or maybe that’s the twist, putting yourself in a position where you don’t have to play on a short week at all.

So many options. So many questions.

Either way, we’re going to get four exciting and meaningful games in one weekend of football. That’s the great news!

So, I decided to go back in time and look at what the last two playoffs would have looked like under this new format. I never changed the order of the standings, and just for fun, I’ll advance teams to see what the following weeks leading up to the Grey Cup might look like.

For the record: favorites win, revenge games go to the overall favorite, and I even went back to check the weather for each date.

We will begin in 2024. Here is the overall bracket.

Showdown & Play-In Thanksgiving Weekend:

Primetime and Thanksgiving. No matter the consequences of the date or time, it’s a must. You have to play on Thanksgiving!

Or maybe that’s the gamble the league wants teams to deal with. Win the showdown, and you survive the short week. Lose, and you’re left wondering if the scheduling helped decide your season. Either way, the drama, ratings, and attention would be massive.

Saturday, October 12th:

  • Hamilton @ Ottawa (3pm et)
  • Edmonton @ B.C (6:30 et)

Monday, October 14th (THANKSGIVING MONDAY)

  • Toronto @ Montreal (2pm et)
  • Saskatchewan @ Winnipeg (5:30 et)

Elimination Games

Saturday, October 19th

  • B.C @ Montreal (3pm et)
  • Ottawa @ Saskatchewan (6:30 et)

Grey Cup Semi-Finals

Saturday October 26th

  • Montreal @ Toronto (3pm et)
  • Saskatchewan @ Winnipeg (6:30pm et)

Grey Cup

Sunday, November 3rd

Toronto vs Winnipeg (6:45 et)

Onto the next season…

You get the idea of what a typical future playoff schedule could look like, so let’s just get right to the matchups.

For the 2025 season, just like the previous playoffs, the semi finals are rematches from the opening round, only this time, one game is played at the other team’s home field.

It does appear that the 7th and 8th seeded teams would face an extremely difficult path just to reach the semi finals. Still, the showdown and play in round, with four games played around Thanksgiving weekend, has the potential to create an exciting new tradition and an entertaining weekend in front of the television.

For that reason alone, I’m on board with the changes.