It's becoming almost as famous a year in Canadian sports as 1967, the year Toronto last won the Stanley Cup.
It was 1988. The last time Saskatchewan played host to a playoff game.
Tom Shepherd was the president of the Roughriders back then.
"We have two kinds of season ticket holders in Saskatchewan. Half our fans go back to Ron Lancaster and George Reed. The other half have never witnessed a playoff game in Taylor Field. Half our fans don't even believe there is such a thing."
Shepherd is the ultimate representative of the stubble jumpers. He's as big a fan as there is and has raised $9.5 million running the Roughriders lottery since his term of president to keep the team in the province.
"I'm the last president to have a home playoff game and I'm the last president to win the Grey Cup," he said.
"We've been to two Grey Cups and won one since we had that home playoff game. So much is made of 1988 and that home playoff game, people forget this team hadn't even made the playoffs since 1976 before that."
THE STORYLINE
Despite an Eskimo win and Rider loss this past weekend, hope of Saskatchewan ending the drought will be the storyline when the combine pilots cross the border for Saturday's game in Commonwealth Stadium.
If the Riders defeat the Eskimos, the two teams will be tied, each with two games remaining. In the event they stayed tied in the standings, Saskatchewan would finish ahead of Edmonton.
If the Riders lose, it's 34 straight seasons in the playoffs for the Esks and Saskatchewan couldn't finish second.
"Normally Saskatchewan fans have only two types of emotion," says Shepherd.
"It's either the end of the world or we're going to the Grey Cup. When we had that five-game losing streak earlier in the year it was the end of the world. When we turned it around and had the five-game winning streak, we were going to the Grey Cup."
This week, leading up to the game in Edmonton, Shepherd says they're not quite sure if it's the end of the world or if they're going to the Grey Cup.
"One thing we all agree on is that was the worst trade in the history of football," he said of the Eskimos getting Dan Comiskey and Troy Davis from Hamilton.
"All of a sudden that trade makes Edmonton a contender again. They weren't, really, in my eyes, until they did this deal. Now you'd have to rank them stronger than B.C..
"Up until last weekend, everybody around here thought we were going to finally have that home playoff game again. Now ...
"That trade is sensational for Edmonton. They replaced their worst offensive lineman with an all-star and they not only came up with a running back who could give them the ground game they didn't have, but the guy can block, too.
"They fixed their team.
"It was the worst trade in the history of football.
"I called Rick LeLacheur and asked him how he could sleep at night after making that trade.
"He said 'very, very well.' It's just another reason why the people over here call them the Evil Empire.
A LOVE/HATE THING
"I have a love/hate thing with Edmonton personally. But most of our fans just have a hate.
"The Eskimos are in the playoffs every year and almost always have a home playoff game. And we're always scrapping to make the playoffs and never have playoff games at home.
"It seems like this team just can't win at Commonwealth Stadium in the regular season.
"But some of our biggest victories have been playoff victories over there. Like in 1989.
"The Eskimos were 16-2. That was a bigger victory in many ways than winning the Grey Cup the next weekend.
"We beat a great Eskimo team and it wasn't just luck."
RETURNED A WEEK LATER
The Roughriders, of course, came back and beat the Eskimos to return a week later for the 1997 'Party In Your Parka' Grey Cup game in Edmonton.
You may remember Sheppard as the guy on the front of the bicycle-built-for-12 he entered in that Grey Cup parade.
"Maybe the loser of this game will finish fourth in the West, go through the East on the crossover rule, and meet the other team in the Grey Cup. Now, wouldn't that be a great way to celebrate the 100th birthdays of both provinces?"
Shepherd says he might save six of the seats on his bicycle-built-for-12 for Edmonton guys if that happened.