Roughriders, Alouettes Grey Cup Bound

CFL WEST DIVISION FINAL: Saskatchewan 24 BC 21

Tommy Nield’s three-yard touchdown reception with 11 seconds left in the fourth quarter lifted the Saskatchewan Roughriders to a 24-21 victory over the B.C. Lions in the West Division final Saturday, sending the Riders to the Grey Cup.

Trailing 21-17 with 1:03 left in the fourth quarter, the Riders drove 74 yards in seven plays to score the game-winning touchdown and punch their ticket to the Grey Cup. The Riders will play the Montreal Alouettes in the Grey Cup in Winnipeg on Nov. 16.

The Alouettes advanced to the championship game with a 19-16 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the East Division final earlier on Saturday.

The Riders held a 14-7 lead in the third quarter only to see the Lions score two touchdowns to go ahead 21-14.

The Riders were first-and-goal from the B.C. five-yard line with three minutes remaining but after two incompletions, head coach Corey Mace decided to settle for a field goal rather than gambling on third down. Lauther’s 13-yard field goal cut the deficit to 21-17 with 2:42 remaining.

The Saskatchewan defence forced back-to-back two-and-out possessions to give their offence an opportunity to win the game.

Defences controlled the first half of Saturday’s game, played before a sellout crowd of 33,350 at Mosaic Stadium. The teams combined for 11 punts in the half, six by the Riders and five by the Lions.

B.C. scored the lone touchdown of the half on a nine-play, 103-yard drive late in the second quarter. B.C. quarterback Nathan Rourke, who was five-for-five passing on the drive, scored on a four-yard run with 4:09 left in the half to give the Lions a 7-1 lead.

Saskatchewan trimmed the lead to 7-4 as Brett Lauther connected on a 22-yard field goal on the final play of the half.

Saskatchewan returns to the Grey Cup for the first time since 2013 when they defeated the Tiger-Cats 45-35.

(Canadian Press/Jeff DeDekker)

EAST DIVISION FINAL: Montreal 19 Hamilton 16

There’s no way Davis Alexander is going to miss the Grey Cup.

Jose Maltos Diaz’s 45-yard field goal on the game’s final play gave Montreal an exciting 19-16 East Division final win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday. Alouettes starter Davis Alexander improved to 13-0 (11-0 in regular season, 2-0 in playoffs) as a CFL starter.

But Alexander tweaked his left hamstring in the second half. As Hamilton drove toward Marc Liegghio’s 23-yard field goal that tied the game 13-13 at 13:13 of the fourth, Alexander rode a stationary bike on the sideline and rubbed his leg.

Montreal will meet Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Grey Cup on Nov. 16 in Winnipeg. The Alouettes will chase a second league title after winning it all in 2023.

Alexander completed 19-of-26 passes for 210 yards with a TD and interception while running seven times for a team-high 64 yards. More importantly, Alexander has an opportunity to continue his magical run by winning a championship in his first season as Montreal’s starter.

Alexander’s 11-0 regular-season record is the best start to a career in CFL history, something he says he could see happening.

“I can because I know how hard I work, how hard I want this,” he said. “When a team gives you the keys and shows that confidence, you better do everything in your power to make sure that you’re not going to let them down.

“I can believe it because I care more about football probably more than anything in this world besides my family … and they know that because they’re the same way. It’s special, but I think it would make it even more special if we got one more.”

Montreal’s win was its first this season against Hamilton, which had won both regular-season contests with Alexander sidelined. After finishing atop the East Division with an 11-7 record — just ahead of the Alouettes (10-8) — the Ticats hosted their first East Division final since 2019.

“It wasn’t until that last field goal went through that I think anyone on our sideline didn’t think we’d find a way to win,” Hamilton head coach Scott Milanovich said. “I’m disappointed for our players, I’m disappointed for our fans. There’s no doubt our guys gave it everything they had.

“I thought that was playoff football out there. It’s two teams battling and we just came up a play short.”

Hamilton starter Bo Levi Mitchell completed 29-of-36 passes for 269 yards with a TD and interception. Kenny Lawler had nine catches for 117 yards — both game highs — while Greg Bell ran for 66 yards on 10 carries, also game highs.

(CP)