# 1956 BC Lions season

The 1956 BC Lions finished the season in fourth place in the W.I.F.U. with a 6–10 record and failed to make the playoffs.
Under former Ottawa bench boss Clem Crowe, the Lions matched their aggregate win total of the first two seasons (6), however, it was only good enough for 4th place in a tough WIFU. The Lions earned their first win over the Edmonton Eskimos on September 24. Fullback By Bailey scored the first kickoff return touchdown in Lions history against Winnipeg on September 17.
Receiver Dan Edwards, running back Ed Vereb on offence and safety Paul Cameron were WIFU all-stars.
The team altered its uniforms adding UCLA stripes on shoulders.

## Preseason

| Game | Date | Opponent | Results | Results | Venue | Attendance |
| Game | Date | Opponent | Score | Record | Venue | Attendance |
| A | Sat, Aug 5 | vs. Edmonton Eskimos | L 21–35 | 0–1 | Empire Stadium | 23,566 |
| B | Wed, Aug 8 | vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats | L 26–34 | 0–2 | Empire Stadium | |
| C | Mon, Aug 13 | vs. Toronto Argonauts | W 20–15 | 1–2 | Empire Stadium | |

## Regular season
### Season standings

Western Interprovincial Football Union :
| Team | GP | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pts |
| Edmonton Eskimos | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 358 | 235 | 22 |
| Saskatchewan Roughriders | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 353 | 272 | 20 |
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 315 | 228 | 18 |
| BC Lions | 16 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 251 | 361 | 12 |
| Calgary Stampeders | 16 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 229 | 410 | 8 |

### Season schedule

| Week | Game | Date | Opponent | Results | Results | Venue | Attendance |
| Week | Game | Date | Opponent | Score | Record | Venue | Attendance |
| 1 | 1 | Sat, Aug 18 | at Calgary Stampeders | W 17–14 | 1–0 | Mewata Stadium | 12,889 |
| 1 | 2 | Mon, Aug 20 | vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders | W 20–3 | 2–0 | Empire Stadium | 28,825 |
| 2 | 3 | Mon, Aug 27 | vs. Edmonton Eskimos | L 0–18 | 2–1 | Empire Stadium | 30,374 |
| 3 | 4 | Fri, Aug 31 | at Winnipeg Blue Bombers | L 1–3 | 2–2 | Winnipeg Stadium | 15,727 |
| 3 | 5 | Mon, Sept 3 | at Saskatchewan Roughriders | L 10–24 | 2–3 | Taylor Field | 13,000 |
| 4 | 6 | Sat, Sept 8 | vs. Calgary Stampeders | W 45–15 | 3–3 | Empire Stadium | 28,737 |
| 5 | 7 | Sat, Sept 15 | at Edmonton Eskimos | L 8–34 | 3–4 | Clarke Stadium | 21,737 |
| 5 | 8 | Mon, Sept 17 | vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers | L 15–16 | 3–5 | Empire Stadium | 21,737 |
| 6 | 9 | Mon, Sept 24 | vs. Edmonton Eskimos | W 11–1 | 4–5 | Empire Stadium | 23,066 |
| 7 | 10 | Sat, Sept 29 | at Saskatchewan Roughriders | L 28–46 | 4–6 | Taylor Field | 14,000 |
| 7 | 11 | Mon, Oct 1 | at Winnipeg Blue Bombers | L 7–34 | 4–7 | Winnipeg Stadium | 16,467 |
| 8 | 12 | Sat, Oct 6 | vs. Calgary Stampeders | W 24–7 | 5–7 | Empire Stadium | 25,663 |
| 9 | 13 | Sat, Oct 13 | vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers | L 8–30 | 5–8 | Empire Stadium | 26,300 |
| 9 | 14 | Mon, Oct 15 | at Calgary Stampeders | W 22–21 | 6–8 | Mewata Stadium | 10,000 |
| 10 | 15 | Sat, Oct 20 | vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders | L 22–25 | 6–9 | Empire Stadium | 18,239 |
| 10 | 16 | Mon, Oct 22 | at Edmonton Eskimos | L 13–54 | 6–10 | Clarke Stadium | |

### Offensive leaders

| Player | Passing yds | Rushing yds | Receiving yds | TD |
| Jerry Gustafson | 1214 | 43 | 0 | 3 |
| By Bailey | | 620 | 294 | 4 |
| Paul Cameron | 199 | 430 | 428 | 3 |
| Dan Edwards | | 0 | 672 | 3 |
| Ed Vereb | | 514 | 178 | 14 |
| Al Pollard | | 468 | 86 | 2 |

## 1956 Canadian Football Awards

None