The Canadian Football League will kick off its 21-week regular season when the Montreal Alouettes and Winnipeg Blue Bombers square off at 7:30 p.m. CDT Thursday at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg.

Each of the nine CFL teams will play an 18-game regular season on the way to the 111th Grey Cup, which is set for Nov. 17.

Of the 18 players from Alabama high schools and colleges on the CFL rosters for the start of the season, Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive lineman Anthony Lanier II is on the annual TSN top 50 CFL players list for the second preseason in a row. Preparing for his fourth season with the Roughriders, the former Alabama A&M standout ranked 49th on this year’s list.

The CFL’s opening week continues with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Calgary Stampeders at 8 p.m. Friday, Roughriders and Edmonton Elks at 3 p.m. Saturday and British Columbia Lions and Toronto Argonauts at 6 p.m. Sunday. CBS Sports Network will televise the games from Winnipeg, Edmonton and Toronto.

The players from Alabama high schools and colleges on CFL rosters as the season starts include:

British Columbia Lions

· Offensive lineman Chris Schleuger (UAB)

Calgary Stampeders

· Running back B.J. Emmons (Alabama)

Edmonton Elks

· Linebacker Woodly Appolon (Tuskegee)

· Linebacker D.K. Bonhomme (South Alabama)

· Practice squad: Jermaine Brown Jr. (St. Luke’s, UAB)

· Defensive back Devodric Bynum (UAB)

· Quarterback Jarret Doege (Troy)

· Practice squad: Linebacker Reynard Ellis (Shades Valley, UAB)

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

· Practice squad: Defensive lineman Kelle Sanders (UAB)

· Defensive back Will Sunderland (Troy)

Ottawa Redblacks

· Wide receiver Nick Mardner (Auburn)

· Wide receiver Eli Stove (Auburn)

Saskatchewan Roughriders

· Defensive lineman Anthony Lanier II (Alabama A&M)

· Practice squad: Zakoby McClain (Auburn)

· Defensive back Rolan Milligan Jr. (UAB)

Toronto Argonauts

· Defensive back Darius Joiner (Handley, Jacksonville State)

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

· Wide receiver Myron Mitchell (Jasper, UAB)

· Practice squad: Offensive lineman Kendall Randolph (Bob Jones, Alabama)

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.