Boris Bede booted a 51-yard field goal on the final play of the game as the Toronto Argonauts came back to beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 24-23 in a thrilling Thanksgiving Day game at Tim Hortons Field.
Quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson rallied the Argos (6-3) from a 20-8 deficit in the fourth quarter as Toronto beat the Ticats for the second time this season.
Thompson went 29-of-42 for 388 yards and threw touchdowns to Chandler Worthy and DaVaris Daniels while Hamilton QB Jeremiah Masoli completed 24-of-33 pass attempts for 361 yards and two touchdowns.
Masoli’s first TD was a 24-yard pass to running back Sean Thomas Erlington that gave the Tiger-Cats (4-5) a 6-0 lead and was followed by a missed extra point attempt by placekicker Taylor Bertolet which proved costly in the end.
Receiver Jaelon Acklin hauled in 45-yard touchdown 2:07 into the fourth quarter that pushed Hamilton’s lead to 12 points in the final frame.
But just like the Cats’ last game, in which they blew a 14-point lead against Montreal before ultimately losing in overtime, Hamilton could not shut the door on their arch-rivals.
A roughing the passer call on Ticats defensive end Ja’Gared Davis negated an interception by teammate Kameron Kelly with just under 10 minutes to play in the fourth quarter.
Thompson followed suit with his two TD passes before Bertolet converted a 12-yard field goal to give the Ticats a 23-21 lead with 1:07 remaining in regulation.
But the Argonauts methodically marched down the field in the final minute, leading to Bede’s game-winning field goal.
The win moves Toronto four points ahead of the Tiger-Cats for first place in the CFL‘s East Division with five games left on the schedule.
An announced crowd of 21,378 fans took in the game at Tim Hortons Field, three days after the Ontario government allowed 100 per cent capacity at major sporting events.
Hamilton’s next game is Oct. 23 when they host the last-place Ottawa Redblacks.