2008 Saskatchewan Roughriders season The 2008 Saskatchewan Roughriders finished in 2nd place in the West division with a 12 – 6 record for the second consecutive year . It was their 51st season in the Canadian Football League . The Roughriders attempted to repeat as Grey Cup champions , but , due to an abundance of injuries , lost to the BC Lions in the Western Semi - Final game . Off - season . Several months after capturing the 2007 Grey Cup , 2007 CFL coach of the Year Kent Austin stepped down as head coach to become the offensive co - ordinator at Ole Miss . In accepting this position in the NCAA , Austin turned down a very lucrative contract that the Riders had offered . On February 6 , 2008 , Eric Tillman announced that the new head coach would be Ken Miller . Miller was formerly an offensive coordinator under Austin . Last season ' s starting quarterback Kerry Joseph was traded to the Toronto Argonauts on March 5 , 2008 , along with a third round pick in the 2010 CFL Draft in exchange for offensive tackle Glenn January , defensive lineman Ronald Flemons , the Argos ' first - round pick in the 2008 CFL Draft and a 2010 second - round selection . On April 5 , 2008 a report was released saying that the Roughriders set a new record for earnings in a single season . At the Roughriders ' annual general meeting , Mike Back , the club ' s vice - president of finance and operations , reported the Roughriders registered a record profit of $ 1 , 737 , 377 in 2007 . The Roughriders exceeded the $ 22 - million plateau in total operating revenue and expenditures . This figure eclipsed the previous mark of $ 15 million . Total net assets increased by $ 1 , 998 , 857 to $ 5 , 096 , 393 . These earnings were due in part to the championship season the Roughriders sported , which included 8 home game sellouts and their first home playoff game in 19 years . Regular season . Crowd trouble . On September 20 , an unsportsmanlike incident occurred during a game in Saskatchewan . It started in the fourth quarter when Saskatchewan fans became angry about a B . C . play they thought should have been a face mask penalty . Lions defensive back Dante Marsh fired the ball into the stands , and Saskatchewan fans responded by pelting the Lions with full cans of beer . The incident occurred on the night when the Roughriders were honouring past CFL legend Ron Lancaster , who recently died at the age of 69 . The club subsequently announced that in order to reduce the probability of a similar incident beer in the east stands ( where the visitors bench is ) would be sold in plastic cups for at least the remainder of the season . Ron Lancaster . On Thursday , September 18 , Ron Lancaster , 69 , died from an apparent heart attack , less than two months after being diagnosed with lung cancer . The former Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback , also had a long career as a head coach , with the Edmonton Eskimos and Hamilton Tiger Cats . He was diagnosed in late July and had been undergoing radiation and chemotherapy . Lancaster played 16 seasons with Saskatchewan , and led the team to five Grey Cup appearances . He led the club to their first CFL championship in 1966 when Saskatchewan upset the Ottawa Rough Riders 29 – 14 . When he retired in 1978 , at the age of 41 , he was the league ' s all - time leader in passing yards ( 50 , 535 ) , touchdown passes ( 333 ) , pass attempts ( 6 , 223 ) and completions ( 3 , 384 ) . He also suffered more interceptions than any other quarterback in CFL history . He had also passed for more yards than any passer in professional football history . Transactions . 2008 Saskatchewan Roughriders ' Transactions Playoffs . West Semi - Final . Date and time : Saturday , November 8 , 3 : 30 PM Central Standard TimeVenue : Mosaic Stadium , Regina , Saskatchewan