95th Grey Cup - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The 95th Grey Cup was held in Toronto

Toronto

Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

at the Rogers Centre

Rogers Centre

Rogers Centre is a multi-purpose stadium, in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower, near the shores of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989, it is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League...

on November 25, 2007. The Grey Cup

Grey Cup

The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...

, first awarded in 1909, is the championship game of the Canadian Football League

Canadian Football League

The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....

. It was played between the Saskatchewan Roughriders

Saskatchewan Roughriders

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...

and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...

, with the Roughriders winning 23-19. It was the first Grey Cup meeting between the two teams, and was also the first time any Labour Day Classic

Labour Day Classic

The Labour Day Classic is a particular week of the Canadian Football League schedule that is played over the Labour Day weekend. This particular weekend, typically the tenth or eleventh week in the season, is known for its matchups that do not change from year to year, unlike other weeks of the...

matchup has been played in the Grey Cup.

The 95th Grey Cup was the 46th Grey Cup

Grey Cup

hosted by Toronto since the championship's inception in 1909 and the first it has hosted since 1992. SkyDome/Rogers Centre previously hosted the 77th Grey Cup

77th Grey Cup

The 77th Grey Cup was the 1989 Canadian Football League championship game played between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at SkyDome in Toronto, ON. The Roughriders defeated the Tiger-Cats, 43-40 on Dave Ridgway's winning field-goal...

in 1989 and the 80th Grey Cup

80th Grey Cup

The 80th Grey Cup was the 1992 Canadian Football League championship game played between the Calgary Stampeders and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Toronto's SkyDome...

in 1992. The game was announced as a sellout on November 19, 2007.Ticket prices ranged from $94 to $560

The game was viewed by approximately 3.337 million viewers on CBC television, up from 3.202 million the previous year.

Grey Cup Festivities

The Grey Cup festivities began with a four-day festival that had over 50 events at several venues in downtown Toronto including the Metro Toronto Convention Centre

Metro Toronto Convention Centre

Metro Toronto Convention Centre , located in Downtown Toronto, Ontario at 255 Front Street West, has of space. The convention centre was completed in October 1984 and is home to the 1330-seat John Bassett Theatre...

, and the CN Tower

CN Tower

The CN Tower is a communications and observation tower in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Standing tall, it was completed in 1976, becoming the world's tallest free-standing structure and world's tallest tower at the time. It held both records for 34 years until the completion of the Burj...

. The festival area was bounded by Spadina Avenue

Spadina Avenue

Spadina Avenue is one of the most prominent streets in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Running through the western section of downtown, the road has a very different character in different neighbourhoods....

east to Bay Street

Bay Street

Bay Street, originally known as Bear Street, is a major thoroughfare in Downtown Toronto. It is the centre of Toronto's Financial District and is often used by metonymy to refer to Canada's financial industry since succeeding Montreal's St. James Street in that role in the 1970s...

and from Nathan Phillips Square

Nathan Phillips Square

Nathan Phillips Square is an urban plaza that forms the forecourt to Toronto City Hall, or New City Hall, at the intersection of Queen Street West and Bay Street, and named for Nathan Phillips, mayor of Toronto from 1955 to 1962. The square opened in 1965, and, as with the City Hall, the square was...

south to Lake Ontario

Lake Ontario

Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...

.

On the weekend of the Grey Cup, there was a "Celebration of Football" with games hosted at the Rogers Centre at amateur, high school, and university level, including the 43rd Vanier Cup

Vanier Cup

The Vanier Cup is the name of the championship of Canadian Interuniversity Sport football and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is currently played between the winners of the Uteck Bowl and the Mitchell Bowl...

, the CIS

Canadian Interuniversity Sport

Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada, comprising the majority of degree granting universities in the country. Its equivalent body for organized sports at colleges in Canada is The Canadian Colleges Athletic Association...

football championship. The Vanier Cup

Vanier Cup

game was held on November 23, 2007 at Rogers Centre with the Manitoba Bisons

Manitoba Bisons

The Manitoba Bisons are the athletic teams that represent the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The football and soccer teams play their games at University Stadium, which also serves as the location of track & field events...

versus the Saint Mary's Huskies

Saint Mary's Huskies

The Saint Mary's Huskies are the men's and women's athletic teams that represent Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Their primary home turf is Huskies Stadium located in the centre of the University's campus....

. This marked the first time the Vanier Cup has been held in conjunction with the Grey Cup.

Confirmed festival events include:

Annual team parties (e.g. Riderville
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...

, MontreALS Huddle
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...

, Double Blue Bash
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...

, Tigertown
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...

, Lions' Den
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...

, including the nonexistent Atlantic Schooners
Atlantic Schooners
The Atlantic Schooners were a conditional Canadian Football League expansion team that was to begin play in 1984 out of Halifax, Nova Scotia.On May 13, 1982, Maritime Professional Football Club Ltd. was granted a conditional expansion franchise...

)
Grey Cup Chopper
Chopper (motorcycle)
A chopper is a type of motorcycle that was either modified from an original motorcycle design or built from scratch to have a hand-crafted appearance. The main features of a chopper that make it stand out are its longer frame design accompanied by a stretch front end...

raffle
Street festivals on Front Street
Front Street (Toronto)
Front Street is an east-west road in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The street marks the rough outline of the shoreline of Lake Ontario as it existed during the original English settlement of York, then called Palace Street...

and Bremner Street
BMX Bike Park presented by the Argonauts' Stop The Violence foundation
Grey Cup House built by CFL players and fans for Habitat for Humanity
CFL Player Awards at Roy Thomson Hall
Roy Thomson Hall
Roy Thomson Hall is a concert hall located at 60 Simcoe Street in Toronto, Ontario. It is the home of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Opened in 1982, its circular architectural design exhibits a sloping and curvilinear glass exterior. It was designed by Canadian...
- Includes a tribute to John Candy
  John Candy
  John Franklin Candy was a Canadian actor and comedian. He rose to fame as a member of the Toronto branch of The Second City and its related Second City Television series, and through his appearances in comedy films such as Stripes, Splash, Cool Runnings, The Great Outdoors, Spaceballs, and Uncle...
  
  hosted by Dan Aykroyd
  Dan Aykroyd
  Daniel Edward "Dan" Aykroyd, CM is a Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter, musician, winemaker and ufologist. He was an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, an originator of The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters and has had a long career as a film actor and screenwriter.-Early...
Grey Cup Gala at Liberty Grand hosted by Brent Butt
Brent Butt
Brent Butt is a Canadian stand-up comedian actor and writer. He is best known for his role as Brent Leroy on the CTV sitcom Corner Gas, which he also created. The series was an instant hit when it made its debut in 2004....
CN Tower
CN Tower
The CN Tower is a communications and observation tower in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Standing tall, it was completed in 1976, becoming the world's tallest free-standing structure and world's tallest tower at the time. It held both records for 34 years until the completion of the Burj...

party hosted by Trish Stratus
Trish Stratus
Patricia Anne Stratigias , better known by her ring name Trish Stratus, is a Canadian professional wrestler, actress and television personality currently signed with WWE. She is also a former fitness model....
Grey Cup Party Series hosted by Trailer Park Boys
Trailer Park Boys
Trailer Park Boys is a Canadian comedy mockumentary television series created and directed by Mike Clattenburg that focuses on the misadventures of a group of trailer park residents, some of whom are ex-convicts, living in the fictional Sunnyvale Trailer Park in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The...

Ricky, Julian and Bubbles
Musical acts
- Lenny Kravitz
  Lenny Kravitz
  Leonard Albert "Lenny" Kravitz is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and arranger, whose "retro" style incorporates elements of rock, soul, R&B, funk, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, folk and ballads...
- Great Big Sea
  Great Big Sea
  Great Big Sea is a Canadian folk-rock band from Newfoundland and Labrador, best known for performing energetic rock interpretations of traditional Newfoundland folk songs including sea shanties, which draw from the island's 500-year-old Irish, English, and French heritage...
- Barenaked Ladies
  Barenaked Ladies
  Barenaked Ladies is a Canadian alternative rock band. The band is currently composed of Jim Creeggan, Kevin Hearn, Ed Robertson, and Tyler Stewart. Barenaked Ladies formed in 1988 in Scarborough, Ontario, then a suburban municipality outside the City of Toronto...
- Spirit of the West
  Spirit of the West
  Spirit of the West are a Canadian folk rock band, who were popular on the Canadian folk music scene in the 1980s before evolving a blend of hard rock, Britpop, and Celtic folk influences which made them one of Canada's most successful alternative rock acts in the 1990s.-Early years:The band began...
- The Lowest of the Low
  The Lowest of the Low
  The Lowest of the Low is a Canadian alternative rock group formed in 1991 from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They were one of the most influential bands on the Canadian alternative music scene in the early 1990s, garnering widespread critical acclaim and radio play...
- Hinder
  Hinder
  Hinder is an American rock band from Oklahoma that was formed in 2001 by drummer Cody Hanson, guitarist Joe Garvey, and singer Austin Winkler. The band was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in 2007.-Formation and early history:...
- Sloan
  Sloan (band)
  Sloan is a Toronto-based alternative rock quartet from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Throughout their 20-year tenure Sloan has released 10 LPs , two EPs, a live album, a "best of" collection and no less than thirty singles...
- Kim Mitchell
  Kim Mitchell
  Joseph Kim Mitchell is a Canadian guitarist. He was the lead singer and guitarist for the band Max Webster before going on to lead a solo career. He is currently a radio show host for CILQ-FM in Toronto....
- The Trews
  The Trews
  The Trews are a Canadian rock band from Antigonish, Nova Scotia, consisting of vocalist Colin MacDonald, guitarist John-Angus MacDonald, bassist Jack Syperek, and drummer Sean Dalton...

Game summary

Saskatchewan Roughriders (23) - TDs, James Johnson

James Johnson (football player)

James Johnson is a professional Canadian football cornerback who is currently a free agent. He most recently played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League....

, Andy Fantuz

Andy Fantuz

Andrew "Andy" Fantuz, is a gridiron football wide receiver who is currently a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed drafted by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the first round of the 2006 CFL Draft...

; FGs Luca Congi

Luca Congi

Luca Congi is a punter/placekicker playing for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League....

(3); cons., Congi

Luca Congi

Luca Congi is a punter/placekicker playing for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League....

(2).

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (19) - TDs, Derick Armstrong

Derick Armstrong

Derick Armstrong is a Canadian football wide receiver who currently plays for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League...

; FGs Troy Westwood

Troy Westwood

Troy Westwood is a Canadian Football League place kicker and punter who played 17 years for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers....

(2); cons., Westwood

Troy Westwood

Troy Westwood is a Canadian Football League place kicker and punter who played 17 years for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers....

; safety touch (3).

First Quarter

WPG -- FG Westwood 16-yard field goal 12:37

Second Quarter

WPG -- Safety Boreham concedes in end zone 3:18

WPG -- Safety Boreham concedes in end zone 7:07

SSK -- TD Johnson 30-yard interception return (Congi convert) 12:26

SSK -- FG Congi 45-yard field goal 15:00

Third Quarter

SSK -- FG Congi 17-yard field goal 1:51

WPG -- TD Armstrong 50-yard pass by Dinwiddie (Westwood convert) 4:03

SSK -- FG Congi 12-yard field goal 11:11

Fourth Quarter

SSK -- TD Fantuz 29-yard pass by Joseph (Congi convert) 3:30

WPG -- Safety Boreham concedes in end zone 6:29

WPG -- FG Westwood 42-yard field goal 11:13

Defensive back

In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...

James Johnson

James Johnson (football player)

James Johnson is a professional Canadian football cornerback who is currently a free agent. He most recently played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League....

set a Grey Cup

Grey Cup

record with three interceptions, returning one for a touchdown, as the Saskatchewan Roughriders

Saskatchewan Roughriders

won their first championship in 18 years on Sunday defeating the Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

23-19 at the Rogers Centre

Rogers Centre

in Toronto

Toronto

. The Roughriders last won a championship in 1989, when current coach Kent Austin

Kent Austin

Richard Kent Austin is the Head Coach for the Cornell University Big Red football team. Prior to this, he was the Offensive Coordinator for the Ole Miss Rebels football team. He is the former Head Coach of the Canadian Football League's Saskatchewan Roughriders...

was the starting quarterback.

In the first quarter, Winnipeg

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

's Troy Westwood

Troy Westwood

Troy Westwood is a Canadian Football League place kicker and punter who played 17 years for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers....

scored the game's first points with a 16-yard field goal. In the second quarter Saskatchewan would concede a pair of safeties for a 7-0 Winnipeg lead before Johnson's first interception of the game, which resulted in a Roughrider touchdown and a 7-7 tie. A last second quarter drive before Lenny Kravitz

Lenny Kravitz

Leonard Albert "Lenny" Kravitz is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and arranger, whose "retro" style incorporates elements of rock, soul, R&B, funk, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, folk and ballads...

entertained the crowd at halftime was capped by a 45-yard Congi field goal to give the Riders a 10-7 lead into halftime.

The game turned in the early moments of the second half. The Roughriders had a chance to take the game by the throat when John Chick

John Chick

John Chick is a gridiron football defensive end for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He was signed by the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at Utah State. He spent 2008-2009 with the Saskatchewan Roughriders...

sacked Ryan Dinwiddie

Ryan Dinwiddie

Ryan Dinwiddie is a professional Canadian football quarterback playing for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. Dinwiddie was a three-year starter at Boise State from 2001 to 2003, and one of the most prolific passers in college football history. In 2003, he passed for...

for a fumble recovery on the Riders' 10, but the defence held to force a 17-yard field goal for a 13-7 Rider lead.

On the next possession, Dinwiddie hit Derick Armstrong

Derick Armstrong

Derick Armstrong is a Canadian football wide receiver who currently plays for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League...

with a 50-yard touchdown pass. The excitable novice quarterback jumped in the air and then taunted by pointing at the Saskatchewan bench. But on Winnipeg's next possession, Johnson picked off a Dinwiddie pass for his second interception of the game and the Riders marched the ball to the Winnipeg 11.

Then came a key play.

Saskatchewan quarterback, Kerry Joseph

Kerry Joseph

Kerry Tremaine Joseph is a quarterback who is currently playing for the Edmonton Eskimos. He was born in New Iberia, Louisiana....

looked to be stopped on a third-and-one plunge, but a review re-spotted the ball for a first down. When Bombers coach Doug Berry tried to challenge, he was slapped with a five-yard delay of game

Delay of game

Delay of game is an action in a sports game in which a player or team deliberately stalls the game, usually with the intention of using the delay to its advantage. In some sports, the delay of game is considered an infraction if it is longer than that permitted according to the game's rules, in...

penalty. But the Bomber defence came up big again, holding the Riders to a 12-yard field goal and a 16-14 lead at 11:11 of the third quarter.

However, in the fourth quarter, Joseph found Andy Fantuz

Andy Fantuz

up the middle and the big slotback broke three tackles as he plowed into the end zone for a nine-point Riders lead, but a third safety of the game and a 42-yard Westwood field goal cut the lead to four points with 3:37 left to play.

But a final Winnipeg drive ended in Johnson's third pick of the game to seal the game and the franchises third Grey Cup championship

Scotiabank East Semi-Finals

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Total
Montreal Alouettes Montreal Alouettes The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...	0	16	3	3	22
Winnipeg Blue Bombers Winnipeg Blue Bombers The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...	7	3	7	7	24

This will be a game that will haunt the Montreal Alouettes

Montreal Alouettes

The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...

throughout the off-season as a costly error caused the eventual game-winning 20-yard field goal

Field goal (football)

A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...

by Troy Westwood

Troy Westwood

Troy Westwood is a Canadian Football League place kicker and punter who played 17 years for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers....

to give his Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

a 24-22 victory at Canad Inns Stadium

Canad Inns Stadium

Canad Inns Stadium is a Canadian football stadium located north of Polo Park Shopping Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Stadium, named for hotel chain Canad Inns, and originally completed in 1953, seats 29,533 for football...

, with time expiring.

In the first quarter, the Bombers opened the scoring with their first six plays at 4:33 of the first quarter when quarterback, Kevin Glenn

Kevin Glenn

Kevin Glenn, Jr. is a professional Canadian football quarterback for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Saskatchewan Roughriders as an undrafted free agent in 2001...

found a streaking Milt Stegall

Milt Stegall

Milton Eugene Stegall is a retired professional gridiron football player who played 17 years of professional football, three years in the National Football League with the Cincinnati Bengals and 14 years in the Canadian Football League with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.Stegall was an All-Star...

down the right side of the field for a 19-yard touchdown.

It appeared that the Alouettes tied the game early in the second quarter, but a review of a touchdown by Ashlan Davis

Ashlan Davis

Ashlan Davis is an American and Arena football wide receiver for the Corpus Christi Sharks of af2. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2007...

revealed the receiver had not crossed the goal-line with the ball causing a third-and-goal situation. But Winnipeg linebacker

Linebacker

A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...

, Barrin Simpson

Barrin Simpson

Barrin Simpson "The Minister of Defence" is a Canadian Football League linebacker currently playing for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Simpson has previously played for the BC Lions, and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers....

would eventually stop Montreal running back

Running back

A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...

Jarrett Payton

Jarrett Walter Payton is a professional American and Canadian football running back. He is the son of Walter Payton. Payton was previously signed as an undrafted free agent by the NFL Tennessee Titans....

, from crossing the goal line and causing a turnover-on-downs.

Montreal would eventually recover after defensive back

Defensive back

Davis Sanchez

Davis Sanchez is a former National Football League and current Canadian Football League cornerback for the B.C. Lions.-Early years:...

's interception of Glenn during Winnipeg's next drive help set up the tying score when Marcus Brady

Marcus Brady

Marcus Brady is a former professional Canadian football quarterback and is currently a wide receivers coach for the Montreal Alouettes. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Toronto Argonauts in 2002...

hooked up with receiver Eric Deslauriers

Eric Deslauriers

Éric Deslauriers is a professional Canadian football slotback for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He played college football at Eastern Michigan University....

on two catches for 49 yards, before Kerry Carter

Kerry Carter

Kerry Carter is a Canadian football fullback for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2003 and drafted by the Alouettes in the second round of the 2003 CFL Draft...

plunged in for a one-yard TD score at 6:15 of the second.

The Bombers momentarily regained the lead following an 18-yard field goal, but Montreal rebounded to a 14-10 advantage with less than two minutes remaining in the first half as Kerry Watkins

Kerry Watkins

Kerry Watkins is a professional Canadian football wide receiver with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He was named a CFL East All-Star in 2005, 2006 and 2008, and a CFL All-Star in 2005. Watkins has played with the Alouettes since 2004 and has won Grey Cup championships in...

took a short pass from Brady and raced 65 yards untouched into the end zone. Westwood would also concede a two-point safety following a stalled drive by Winnipeg, giving Montreal a 16-10 lead after 30 minutes.

In the second half, Montreal would maintain a slim lead and control of the game, until the last minutes of the fourth quarter.

The two teams were exchanging field goals, which kept Montreal in front by two points. Furthermore, it seemed that the momentum favoured the Alouettes after Westwood missed a 39-yard field goal with more than five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, but the longtime kicker regained his composure minutes later with the eventual winning kick.

But many will remember this game as the moment when Montreal coach Jim Popp

Jim Popp

Jim Popp is the general manager of the Montreal Alouettes football club of the Canadian Football League ....

made a major blunder deciding to go for an ill-advised third-and-one at Montreal's 44-yard line with 1:35 seconds left with his team leading 22-21. By taking that chance Alouettes quarterback

Quarterback

Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...

, Marcus Brady was eventually stopped by Barrin Simpson which caused another turnover-on-downs and giving the Blue Bombers perfect field position.

With the help of running back

Running back

, Charles Roberts

Charles Roberts (football player)

Charles Roberts is a free agent running back who most recently played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and BC Lions in the Canadian Football League.-College:...

' three carries for 24 yards, it moved Winnipeg into field goal position that caused the game winning field-goal. The loss spoiled the great performances by Marcus Brady and Montreal receiver Kerry Watkins. Brady threw for 299 yards and one touchdown, while Watkins caught five passes for 158 yards and a touchdown.

For Winnipeg, Charles Roberts came through in the second half to finish with 104 yards on 19 carries and one touchdown, while Barrin Simpson was equally brilliant for the Bombers, making eight tackles and spearheading two big defensive stands.

Scotiabank West Semi-Finals

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Total
Calgary Stampeders Calgary Stampeders The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...	0	7	10	7	24
Saskatchewan Roughriders Saskatchewan Roughriders The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...	13	6	3	4	26

The Saskatchewan Roughriders

Saskatchewan Roughriders

rode the foot of Luca Congi

Luca Congi

Luca Congi is a punter/placekicker playing for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League....

and the arm and legs of Kerry Joseph

Kerry Joseph

Kerry Tremaine Joseph is a quarterback who is currently playing for the Edmonton Eskimos. He was born in New Iberia, Louisiana....

to a 26-24 victory over the Calgary Stampeders

Calgary Stampeders

The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...

at Mosaic Stadium. Congi matched a season high and tied a league playoff record with six field goals

Field goal (football)

, while Joseph passed for 395 yards and added another 108 on the ground in the first playoff game in Regina

Regina, Saskatchewan

Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...

in 19 years.

The Roughriders offence jumped on Calgary's defence on the first play of the game, when Kerry Joseph hooked up with wide receiver

Wide receiver

A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...

D.J. Flick on a 62-yard pass-and-run play for a touchdown

Touchdown

A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...

at the 29-second mark.

A pair of Congi field goals from 47 and 49 yards made it a 13-0 for the Roughriders. The Roughriders in the first quarter were winning battles in territorial play and time of possession, but the Stampeders would temporarily silence the sold out crowd of Mosaic Stadium when Saskatchewan, slotback

Slotback

Slotback is a position in Gridiron football . The slotback is similar to the wide receiver but also has many of the same traits as a running back, lines up closer to the offensive line and often farther back...

Andy Fantuz

could not handle a Joseph pass in the end zone and watched the ball deflect into the hands of defensive back

Defensive back

Dwaine Carpenter

Dwaine L. Carpenter is a professional defensive back who is currently a free agent. He was signed as a street free agent by the Buffalo Destroyers in 2002. He played college football for the North Carolina A&T Aggies.Carpenter has also played for the San Francisco 49ers, St...

.

Carpenter ran to the Riders 40-yard line before he lateraled the ball to Trey Young, who ran untouched to the end zone for a 113-yard interception return — the third-longest in CFL playoff history — to make it 13-7.

The Stampeders would close within 19-14 in the third quarter and had the momentum until they failed to convert on a third-and-one from their own 37-yard line. Calgary's third turnover of the game turned into a 37-yard Congi field goal. Saskatchewan never looked back and got a huge defensive stand later in the quarter after Marc Calixte

Marc Calixte

Marc Calixte is a Canadian football linebacker for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted with the seventh overall pick in the 2003 CFL Draft by the Calgary Stampeders. He played college football at Tennessee-Martin. Marc is of Haitian descent.-External links:*...

's punt block gave the Stampeders the ball inside the Riders' 20. On second and inches, Saskatchewan linebacker Reggie Hunt

Reggie Hunt

Reggie Hunt is a retired former professional gridiron football linebacker. He most recently played for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Scottish Claymores as a street free agent in 2001...

ended up sacking Henry Burris

Henry Burris

Henry Burris, Jr. is a professional Canadian and former American football player. Burris plays the quarterback position with the Canadian Football League Calgary Stampeders. Burris spent one year as a reserve quarterback for the National Football League's Chicago Bears...

for a loss of six yards, forcing Calgary kicker Sandro DeAngelis

Sandro DeAngelis

Sandro DeAngelis is a gridiron football placekicker with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He has also been a member of the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. DeAngelis is the most accurate kicker in CFL history and he won his first Grey Cup championship with the...

to boot an 18-yard field goal to make it 22-17.

After Congi added a field goal and a single to make it 26-17 Saskatchewan, the Stampeders made a late charge as quarterback Henry Burris found wide receiver Ken-Yon Rambo

Ken-Yon Rambo

Ken-Yon Rambo is a professional American and Canadian football wide receiver, currently with the Canadian Football League team Calgary Stampeders.-Early life:...

in the end zone on a 16-yard pass with just 53 seconds left in the fourth quarter to make it a two-point game.

On the ensuing kickoff, the Stampeders would recover the ball near midfield to give them a chance to win the game with a field goal, but the CFL's most penalized team this season ended up being offside on the play and Sandro DeAngelis was forced to kick a second time. This time however, the Roughriders made no mistake as wide receiver Kahill Hill recovered the ball to allow Joseph to run out the clock and send Calgary to its third straight West semifinal loss.

Division Finals

November 18

Scotiabank East Finals

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Total
Winnipeg Blue Bombers Winnipeg Blue Bombers The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...	7	5	7	0	19
Toronto Argonauts Toronto Argonauts The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...	1	0	0	8	9

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

advanced to the Grey Cup

Grey Cup

for the first time in six years by stunning the Toronto Argonauts

Toronto Argonauts

The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...

on Sunday but lost star quarterback

Quarterback

Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...

, Kevin Glenn

Kevin Glenn

in the process.

Heading into the game, Toronto linebacker

Linebacker

, Kevin Eiben

Kevin Eiben

Kevin Eiben is a professional Canadian football linebacker currently playing for Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.- Early years :...

guaranteed this week that Winnipeg wouldn't score more than 10 points. However, Winnipeg would manage a convincing 19-9 victory to head to the Grey Cup.

After the missed field goal by Toronto placekicker

Placekicker

Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...

, Noel Prefontaine

Noel Prefontaine

Noel Prefontaine is a professional Canadian football punter / kicker with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.- Early years :...

, Winnipeg's Kevin Glenn would complete his passes to four different receivers to give Winnipeg an early 7-1 lead. Glenn's touchdown throw caught a break as it deflected off Derick Armstrong

Derick Armstrong

Derick Armstrong is a Canadian football wide receiver who currently plays for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League...

in the end zone and into the waiting hands of Milt Stegall

Milt Stegall

for the score.

Later on Troy Westwood

Troy Westwood

Troy Westwood is a Canadian Football League place kicker and punter who played 17 years for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers....

would kick a 34-yard field goal after a 26-yard interference infraction by Toronto defensive back

Defensive back

, Kenny Wheaton

Kenny Wheaton

Kenneth Tyron "Kenny" Wheaton is a defensive back who most recently played for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.-Personal life:Wheaton attended McClintock High School in Tempe, Arizona...

in the second quarter.

By the end of the first half, Winnipeg had a 12-1 lead, while their star running back

Running back

, Charles Roberts

Charles Roberts (football player)

Charles Roberts is a free agent running back who most recently played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and BC Lions in the Canadian Football League.-College:...

would amass 67 total rushing yards.

In the third quarter, it was clear that the Blue Bombers were headed to an easy win after Keith Stokes

Keith Stokes

Keith Stokes is a professional Canadian and American football wide receiver who currently plays for the Philadelphia Soul.-Junior college career:...

electrifying 81 yard punt return, which turned out to be the CFL East Final's biggest play to give Winnipeg a 19-1 lead.

Later in the third quarter, Toronto quarterback, Michael Bishop

Michael Bishop (football player)

Michael Paul Bishop is a professional football quarterback who is currently on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Practice Squad. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots....

hooked up with Obed Cetoute

Obed Cétoute

Obed Cétoute is a Canadian football wide receiver for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted in the fourth round with the 31st pick in the 2006 CFL Draft by the Toronto Argonauts and signed with the team on May 27, 2007. He played college football at Central...

on a big 47-yard gain, but would overthrow Derrell Mitchell

Derrell Mitchell

Derrell Lavoice "Mookie" Mitchell is a former Canadian Football League slotback.-Junior College Career:Mitchell attended Joliet Junior College...

on what could have been a touchdown.
The missed opportunity proved costly for Toronto as Noel Prefontaine

Noel Prefontaine

Noel Prefontaine is a professional Canadian football punter / kicker with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.- Early years :...

's field goal attempt was blocked by Winnipeg's Jerome Haywood

Jerome Haywood

Jerome Haywood is a Canadian football defensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He most recently played for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Ottawa Renegades in 2002...

going 0-for-2 in his only field goal attempts in the game.

However, Eiben will undoubtedly still be hated in Winnipeg after he collided with Kevin Glenn during a botched handoff early in the fourth quarter. Glenn, the CFL's East Outstanding Player of the Year nominee would leave the game with a broken left arm, which eventually ended his season. Glen would complete 15 of 21 passes for 201 yards before leaving.

After the costly Winnipeg turnover, Michael Bishop would connect with Arland Bruce on a 90-yard pass play and then would eventually plunge into the endzone for a touchdown to cut the Winnipeg lead to 19-8. Toronto would eventually gain a single point on a Prefontaine punt to make it a 19-9 Winnipeg lead, but it would be the only offence that the Argos would muster as Bishop struggled all day long in his first career playoff start, misfiring on several throws and completing 21 of 45 passes for 376 yards.

While Winnipeg's backup quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie

Ryan Dinwiddie

had some problems getting plays in on time, the former Boise State

Boise State University

Boise State University is a public university located in Boise, Idaho. Originally founded in 1932 as a junior college by the Episcopal Church, the university became an independent institution in 1934, and has been awarding baccalaureate and master degrees since 1965...

standout was strong in relief, completing all four of his passes for 80 yards and running precious time off the clock. In addition, Winnipeg running back, Charles Roberts would finish the game with 105 rushing yards on 25 carries.

With the victory, the Blue Bombers could win their first Grey Cup championship since the 1990 season and Milt Stegall could have an opportunity to eventually end his career with his first championship ring. However, it remains to be seen if Dinwiddie can perform in the Grey Cup game with the loss of Glenn, as he could find himself to be among the unlikeliest of Grey Cup starting quarterbacks in CFL history.

Scotiabank West Finals

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Total
Saskatchewan Roughriders Saskatchewan Roughriders The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...	10	3	13	0	26
BC Lions BC Lions The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...	7	3	7	0	17

This was the third meeting in four years between the Saskatchewan Roughriders

Saskatchewan Roughriders

and the BC Lions

BC Lions

The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...

in the Western Final. In their previous meetings the Lions were able to defeat the Riders and earn two trips to the Grey Cup, winning one championship last season in Winnipeg. However, the Riders showed that perseverance and that a stellar defence can overcome the defending Grey Cup champions as they headed to the Grey Cup for the first time since 1997.

The Riders were able to score 16 of their 26 points by converting on four turnovers, including two fumble recovers, and kicker Luca Congi

Luca Congi

Luca Congi is a punter/placekicker playing for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League....

made good on four field goals. The BC Lion offence struggled as quarterback

Quarterback

Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...

Jarious Jackson

Jarious K. Jackson is an American and Canadian football quarterback who is currently playing for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League.-High school:...

went 3-15 in his pass attempts and was replaced late in the second quarter by veteran Dave Dickenson

Dave Dickenson

David Dickenson is a former professional Canadian football player with the Calgary Stampeders and the BC Lions. Dickenson also played quarterback collegiately at the University of Montana, where he led the Montana Grizzlies to the 1995 NCAA I-AA college football championship.-High school...

who passed for one touchdown

Touchdown

.

The Roughriders opened a 10-0 lead in the first quarter after receiver

Wide receiver

, Andy Fantuz

Andy Fantuz

hauled in a 13-yard TD pass from Kerry Joseph

Kerry Joseph

Kerry Tremaine Joseph is a quarterback who is currently playing for the Edmonton Eskimos. He was born in New Iberia, Louisiana....

and a Luca Congi

Luca Congi

Luca Congi is a punter/placekicker playing for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League....

37-yard field goal. The 10 points from the Roughriders came from Lion turnovers by an Ian Smart

Ian Smart

Ian Smart is a CFL kick returner and running back who is currently a free agent. Smart wears number 2 and went to C.W. Post College where he rushed for 2,536 yards in 2001....

fumble and an interception. However, BC running back

Running back

Joe Smith

Joe Smith (football player)

Joseph O’Brien "Joe" Smith is a professional football player in the Canadian Football League who is a free agent. Smith plays the running back position...

would reduce the Riders' lead to 10-7 on a one-yard run with 1:17 remaining in the first.

In the second quarter the Lions managed a field goal by Paul McCallum

Paul McCallum

Paul McCallum is a professional Canadian football player currently playing as a placekicker and punter for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League...

to tie the game at 10-10. But a second interception thrown by Jarious Jackson would cause the Riders to score a field goal to take a 13-10 lead into the half as both teams were able to provide stingy defences to limit each offence to a field goal apiece. In addition, Jarious Jackson would eventually be benched and be replaced by Dave Dickenson at the end of the second quarter and for the remainder of the game.

While heading into the third quarter leading 13-10, the Riders extended their lead when quarterback Kerry Joseph

Kerry Joseph

Kerry Tremaine Joseph is a quarterback who is currently playing for the Edmonton Eskimos. He was born in New Iberia, Louisiana....

found running back

Running back

Neal Hughes

Neal Hughes is a professional Canadian football player for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League...

for a four-yard touchdown at 7:09 of the quarter. Congi's 33-yard field goal more than two minutes later put Saskatchewan ahead 23-10 off a Dickenson fumble.

The Lions would get themselves back in the game, when Ian Smart returned a 78-yard kickoff return, which started a one-play 11 yard Dickenson touchdown pass to receiver Geroy Simon

Geroy Simon

Geroy Simon is a professional Canadian football slotback with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League...

to quickly cut the lead to 23-17.

Then Luca Congi would kick his fourth field goal of the game on the team's next drive to give the Riders a nine-point lead into the fourth quarter where the Saskatchewan defence took over and pitched a shutout in the final quarter to preserve the victory and a Grey Cup berth.

Quarterback Kerry Joseph would manage to throw for 209 yards and two touchdowns, while the defence registered for seven sacks. With the loss, the BC Lions failed in their attempt to become the first back-to-back champions since the 1997 Toronto Argonauts

Toronto Argonauts

. The loss would also spoil an outstanding performance by defensive end

Defensive end

Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...

Cameron Wake

Derek Cameron Wake is an American football linebacker for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Penn State....

, the West's nominee as rookie of the year and top defensive player, who tied a CFL playoff record with four sacks.

Grey Cup Festivities

Game summary

Scotiabank East Semi-Finals

Scotiabank West Semi-Finals

Division Finals

Scotiabank East Finals

Scotiabank West Finals

External links

See also