Cody Fajardo and the Montreal Alouettes are unlikely Grey Cup champions.
Fajardo’s 19-yard touchdown pass to Canadian Tyson Philpot rallied Montreal to a thrilling 28-24 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Sunday.
It earned the Alouettes their first CFL title since 2010 and came after an uncertain off-season that saw the franchise taken over by the league in February before it was sold the following month to businessman Pierre Karl Peladeau.
Fajardo’s toss capped a stellar seven-play, 83-yard march. It included a clutch 31-yard completion to Cole Spieker on third-and-five before a Tim Hortons Field sellout of 28,808 as Montreal ended 2023 with eight straight victories.
Winnipeg had one last possession to try to tie the game. Zach Collaros completed a pass to punter Jamieson Sheahan, who then tried to boot the ball into the endzone but it was short and Montreal recovered to end the game.
The Blue Bombers, in the Grey Cup for a fourth straight year, suffered a second consecutive loss after beating Hamilton in 2019 and ’21. The Toronto Argonauts edged Winnipeg 24-23 last year.
Fajardo finished 21-of-26 passing for 290 yards with three TDs and an interception to secure his first Grey Cup title as a starter. He earned a ring with Toronto in 2017 as a backup.
The loss tarnished a stellar effort by Winnipeg running back Brady Oliveira. The CFL’s outstanding Canadian ran for 119 yards and a TD, his third 100-yard rushing performance in as many games this year versus Montreal.
The Winnipeg native ran for 120 and 118 yards as the Bombers swept the regular-season series with the Alouettes 2-0.
Dakota Prukop’s four-yard run at 9:32 of the fourth put Winnipeg ahead 24-21. It came after Fajardo staked Montreal to a 21-17 lead _ its first of the game _ with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Austin Mack at 3:48.
The 28-yard scoring drive was set up by Philpot’s 30-yard punt return. Montreal receiver Austin Mack had six receptions for 103 yards and a touchdown.
Collaros, the first CFL quarterback to start four straight Grey Cups, finished 18-of-22 passing for 226 yards with an interception.
Linebacker Adam Bighill (right calf) and receiver Dalton Schoen (ankle) both played for Winnipeg despite neither practising this week. Bighill and Schoen also weren’t on the field during pre-game warmups but the Bombers announced 30 minutes before kickoff they’d be active.
Bighill, Winnipeg’s defensive leader, was injured in last week’s West Division final while Schoen, the club’s top receiver, hadn’t played since Oct. 6. Both saw action but each was substituted throughout the contest.
Montreal, which entered the game an eight-point underdog, earned its eighth Grey Cup in 19 appearances.
Winnipeg’s Sergio Castillo booted three converts and a field goal.
William Stanback and Spieker scored Montreal’s other touchdowns. David Cote added four converts.
Fajardo’s 23-yard TD strike to Spieker _ with Bighill trying to defend _ pulled Montreal to within 17-14 at 1:43 of the third. It capped a three-play, 60-yard march.
Winnipeg threatened, driving to Montreal’s nine-yard line before Kabion Ento intercepted Collaros in the endzone.
A stout defensive stand earned Winnipeg its 17-7 half-time advantage. Middle linebacker Shayne Gauthier _ playing where Bighill would normally be _ stopped Montreal quarterback Caleb Evans on third-and-one with eight seconds to play to preserve the Bombers’ lead.
It was an opening half neither team really took control of. Winnipeg had more first downs (13-9), net yards (187-163) rushing yards (86-49), offensive plays (30-22) and converted eight-of-12 on second down but needed a key turnover for its 10-point lead.
Collaros was eight-of-11 passing for 112 yards but Oliveira was Winnipeg’s top offensive threat with 69 yards and a TD on nine carries. However, the CFL’s top Canadian also lost a fumble.
Fajardo was a solid 10-of-12 passing for 123 yards with Stanback rushing five times for 40 yards and a TD.
Prukop’s one-yard run at 12:08 of the second staked Winnipeg to a 17-7 advantage. It was set up by Mike Miller’s recovery of James Letcher Jr.’s punt-return fumble at the Montreal 29-yard line.
Stanback’s 32-yard TD run at 14:55 of the first cut Winnipeg’s lead to 10-7. The four-play, 77-yard march was an impressive answer to Oliveira’s five-yard TD run at 12 minutes that capped the Bombers’ eight-play, 66-yard possession that was aided by a questionable unnecessary roughness call on Montreal’s Mustafa Johnson.
Castillo’ opened the scoring with a 25-yard field goal at 6:28 as Winnipeg had possession for 11 minutes, five seconds in the quarter.
Grey Cup Champions
2023 _ Montreal Alouettes
2022 _ Toronto Argonauts
2021 _ Winnipeg Blue Bombers
2020 _ Season Cancelled (COVID-19 pandemic)
2019 _ Winnipeg Blue Bombers
2018 _ Calgary Stampeders
2017 _ Toronto Argonauts
2016 _ Ottawa RedBlacks
2015 _ Edmonton Eskimos
2014 _ Calgary Stampeders
2013 _ Saskatchewan Roughriders
2012 _ Toronto Argonauts
2011 _ British Columbia Lions
2010 _ Montreal Alouettes
2009 _ Montreal Alouettes
2008 _ Calgary Stampeders
2007 _ Saskatchewan Roughriders
2006 _ British Columbia Lions
2005 _ Edmonton Eskimos
2004 _ Toronto Argonauts
2003 _ Edmonton Eskimos
2002 _ Montreal Alouettes
2001 _ Calgary Stampeders
2000 _ British Columbia Lions
1999 _ Hamilton Tiger-Cats
1998 _ Calgary Stampeders
1997 _ Toronto Argonauts
1996 _ Toronto Argonauts
1995 _ Baltimore Stallions
1994 _ British Columbia Lions
1993 _ Edmonton Eskimos
1992 _ Calgary Stampeders
1991 _ Toronto Argonauts
1990 _ Winnipeg Blue Bombers
1989 _ Saskatchewan Roughriders
1988 _ Winnipeg Blue Bombers
1987 _ Edmonton Eskimos
1986 _ Hamilton Tiger-Cats
1985 _ British Columbia Lions
1984 _ Winnipeg Blue Bombers
1983 _ Toronto Argonauts
1982 _ Edmonton Eskimos
1981 _ Edmonton Eskimos
1980 _ Edmonton Eskimos
1979 _ Edmonton Eskimos
1978 _ Edmonton Eskimos
1977 _ Montreal Alouettes
1976 _ Ottawa Rough Riders
1975 _ Edmonton Eskimos
1974 _ Montreal Alouettes
1973 _ Ottawa Rough Riders
1972 _ Hamilton Tiger-Cats
1971 _ Calgary Stampeders
1970 _ Montreal Alouettes
1969 _ Ottawa Rough Riders
1968 _ Ottawa Rough Riders
1967 _ Hamilton Tiger-Cats
1966 _ Saskatchewan Roughriders
1965 _ Hamilton Tiger-Cats
1964 _ British Columbia Lions
1963 _ Hamilton Tiger-Cats
1962 _ Winnipeg Blue Bombers
1961 _ Winnipeg Blue Bombers
1960 _ Ottawa Rough Riders
1959 _ Winnipeg Blue Bombers
1958 _ Winnipeg Blue Bombers
1957 _ Hamilton Tiger-Cats
1956 _ Edmonton Eskimos
1955 _ Edmonton Eskimos
1954 _ Edmonton Eskimos
1953 _ Hamilton Tiger-Cats
1952 _ Toronto Argonauts
1951 _ Ottawa Rough Riders
1950 _ Toronto Argonauts
1949 _ Montreal Alouettes
1948 _ Calgary Stampeders
1947 _ Toronto Argonauts
1946 _ Toronto Argonauts
1945 _ Toronto Argonauts
1944 _ Montreal St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy
1943 _ Hamilton Flying Wildcats
1942 _ Toronto RCAF Hurricanes
1941 _ Winnipeg Blue Bombers
1940 _ Ottawa Rough Riders
1939 _ Winnipeg Blue Bombers
1938 _ Toronto Argonauts
1937 _ Toronto Argonauts
1936 _ Sarnia Imperials
1935 _ Winnipeg Blue Bombers
1934 _ Sarnia Imperials
1933 _ Toronto Argonauts
1932 _ Hamilton Tigers
1931 _ Montreal AAA Winged Wheelers
1930 _ Balmy Beach
1929 _ Hamilton Tigers
1928 _ Hamilton Tigers
1927 _ Balmy Beach
1926 _ Ottawa Senators
1925 _ Ottawa Senators
1924 _ Queen’s University
1923 _ Queen’s University
1922 _ Queen’s University
1921 _ Toronto Argonauts
1920 _ University of Toronto
1919 _ Game Cancelled (lack of organization)
1916-18 _ Games Cancelled (First World War)
1915 _ Hamilton Tigers
1914 _ University of Toronto
1913 _ Hamilton Tigers
1912 _ Hamilton Alerts
1911 _ University of Toronto
1910 _ University of Toronto
1909 _ University of Toronto
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