The Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Winnipeg Blue Bombers are one win away from ending their long championship drought.
One team, one city, one fanbase will be ecstatic after Sunday’s 107th Grey Cup in Calgary while the other will be distraught.
The game at McMahon Stadium is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Eastern Time. Country music superstar Keith Urban will perform during the halftime show. After the game, listen to The 5th Quarter on 900 CHML and watch it on CHML’s Facebook page.
It has been well publicized that Winnipeg and Hamilton have not won the Canadian Football League title in a long time, the two longest waits for a championship.
Not since 1990 have the Blue Bombers been crowned champions, the second-longest title drought in CFL history behind only the 30 years between championship wins for the Toronto Argonauts between 1953 and 1983.
The Tiger-Cats have been trying to win it all since 1999. The two-decade-long dry spell is the longest in franchise history.
When the game kicks off, the Ticats will rely on their high-powered offence, stingy defence and stout special teams to carry the day.
Led by receiver Brandon Banks, the league’s Most Outstanding Player this season, Hamilton has scored the most points (551) in 2019, as well as the most touchdowns (57), and are No. 1 in the CFL on offensive yards per game (395), 1st downs (168), 2nd down conversion percentage (50.5%) and average yards per play (6.84). The Tiger-Cats also allowed the fewest points this season (344), the fewest TDs (33), and are No. 1 against the pass (313.3 yards per game allowed).
The Bombers will try to continue to dominate the line of scrimmage and ride their electrifying run game and rock-solid run defence to victory.
The Blue Bombers occupy a few top slots in the CFL statistics sheet. Winnipeg is the top rushing team with 147.9 yards a game, they have allowed just 64.2 rushing yards per game — 28 yards per game less than second-place Saskatchewan. The West Division champions have committed the fewest penalties (128) this year and led the league in time of possession (32:02 per game).
Grey Cup tidbits:
Hamilton swept the season series against Winnipeg in 2019, outscoring the Blue Bombers 56-28.
The Blue Bombers are 5-3 versus the Tiger-Cats in the Grey Cup.
The last time Hamilton and Winnipeg met in the Grey Cup was 1984 when the Blue Bombers beat the Ticats 47-17 at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium.
Winnipeg has won the last five playoffs games against Hamilton.
The last Ticats’ playoff win over Winnipeg was in the 1989 East Final.
Tiger-Cats vs. Blue Bombers Grey Cup matchups:
1984: Winnipeg 47, Hamilton 17
1965: Hamilton 22, Winnipeg 16
1962: Winnipeg 28, Hamilton 27
1961: Winnipeg 21, Hamilton 14
1959: Winnipeg 21, Hamilton 7
1958: Winnipeg 35, Hamilton 28
1957: Hamilton 32, Winnipeg 7
1953: Hamilton 12, Winnipeg 6
1943: Hamilton Flying Wildcats 23, Winnipeg RCAF Bombers 14
1935: Winnipeg ‘Pegs 18, Hamilton Tigers 12
Comments