Smitty's Selections: Division Semi-Finals

Playoff time. The games don't get much more important than this. Two teams will see their seasons end on Sunday, while the other two will go on to the Division Finals. The closest season in recent CFL history has five more games to excite, surprise and entertain.

East Division Semi-Final: Hamilton at Montreal

All signs point to Montreal. They are the two-time defending champs, they'll be at home, and they have one of the greatest Quarterbacks to ever play the game. All signs point away from Hamilton. They haven't won a playoff game in 10 years, they were 2-7 on the road in 2011, and they haven't won in Montreal since 2002. But for reasons other than homerism, I just feel like Hamilton is ready to take that next step. They have no pressure and no expectations; everyone thinks they are going to get trounced. But something in my gut tells me they are going to find a way to pull it out. Call me crazy, but I think the Cats are headed to Winnipeg.

Winner: Hamilton, 27-24

West Division Semi-Final: Calgary at Edmonton

The Battle of Alberta, one of the fiercest rivalries in the CFL. Edmonton won the season series against the Stamps, but that was before Calgary made two huge changes in benching Quarterback Henry Burris and Running Back Joffrey Reynolds for Drew Tate and Jon Cornish. This will be a different Stampeder team than the one Edmonton faced in the regular season. The Stamps will move on to BC.

Winner: Calgary, 31-27

Recap
Hamilton, Calgary

Season Record: 41-31

Smitty's Selections: Division Semi-Finals

Well, folks, the playoffs are here. Only five more games remain until we all pack it in and wait until next June. Man, time goes by awfully fast.

East Division Semi-Final: Toronto at Hamilton

The single greatest rivalry in all of professional sports gets the playoff atmosphere for the first time since 2004, which is the last time the Argos won the Grey Cup. These two teams haven't met in a playoff game at Ivor Wynne Stadium since 1999, which, coincidentally, is also the last time that the Tiger-Cats won the Grey Cup. Very interesting. Both the Argos and the Tiger-Cats finished the season with identical 9-9 records. These two teams also met three times in the regular season, with the Tiger-Cats winning all three matchups. This should be an intense game, and I, of course, give the edge to the Cats.

Winner: Hamilton, 27-6

West Division Semi-Final: British Columbia at Saskatchewan

This one has been giving me fits all week. One day, I think the Riders will win; the next day, BC. Saskatchewan is the better team... with the better players... playing at home... where it is very hard for opposing teams to win. All that said, I just can't shake the feeling that BC is going to pull off the upset. I don't have any concrete reasons for believing this, just a gut feeling.

Winner: British Columbia, 28-24

Recap
Hamilton, British Columbia

Season Record: 38-34

West Division Semi-Final Set

Coming into today, we knew that the final CFL playoff spot would be decided one way or the other. Either BC or Edmonton would be booking a flight to Regina to take on the Roughriders in the West Division Semi-Final.

For BC to make the playoffs, they needed to beat Hamilton.

Check.

But that wasn't enough. They also needed Saskatchewan to beat Edmonton.

Check and mate.

So next Sunday, it will be the BC Lions visiting the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the West Division Semi-Final. The winner of that game will face the Calgary Stampeders to determine the West's representative in the Grey Cup.

Playoff football is almost here. I can't wait.