The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have officially punched their ticket to the Canadian Football League playoffs, thanks to a hard-fought 26-18 victory over the B.C. Lions Friday night.
The game marked Hamilton’s third consecutive win and pushes the Ticats (7-5) into a tie for first place in the East Division with the Toronto Argonauts (7-4), who will visit Ottawa (2-10) Saturday afternoon.
Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli completed 19 of 26 pass attempts for 258 yards and one touchdown, including a 32-yard rainbow-like pass to Brandon Banks with 37 seconds left in the first half that gave the Cats a 15-3 advantage.
Friday’s contest was Banks’ best of the season.
The league’s Most Outstanding Player in 2019 hauled in six catches for 75 yards and a TD and returned four kickoffs and punts for another 65 yards.
The Lions dropped their sixth straight game, ending any chance for a crossover playoff spot.
QB Michael Reilly scored on a one-yard touchdown run with 1:18 to play in the fourth quarter but could not get the Lions back in the endzone on the team’s final drive.
Reilly ended the game with 343 passing yards and an interception and he rushed eight times for 34 yards.
The Ticats got another stellar performance from running back Don Jackson, who compiled 80 rushing yards on 12 carries and made four receptions for 56 yards.
Jackson has carried the ball 28 times for 200 yards over the last two games and has cemented his place in the team’s starting lineup.
Hamilton next plays the Argos on Nov. 12 in a game that will likely determine which team finishes in first place in the East and receives the coveted first round playoff bye.