The Hamilton Tiger-Cats beat the Ottawa Redblacks 34-16 on Friday at TD Place Stadium, held Ottawa scoreless in the second half, leaned on a running game led by Larry Rountree III, and ended a six-game road losing streak. Quarterback Harrison Frost said the win gives the team something to build on with two games left in the season.
Frost said the offence changed after halftime. "We just were able to stay on the field a little bit more, convert some second and longs, find some completions instead of taking shots on second down," Frost said. "I just kind of took what they gave me in the second half and guys were great after the catch. O-line, I barely got hit. O-line played great, running backs, everybody played great on offense."
A Defence That Turned It Around After Halftime
Head coach Scott Milanovich said the defence had a rough opening half and turned it around in Hamilton's Week 18 win. "We didn't play very well defensively in the first half, and then like you said, we shut them out in the second half," Milanovich said. "So it was good to see that flip in the second half."
Milanovich pointed to a stretch in the third quarter as the turning point. "We kind of weathered a storm there in the 3rd quarter where we had really bad field position, weren't able to move the ball well enough, and then the defense, when they had great field position, kept them off the board. Then we got the touchdown in the 3rd quarter. I think the tide kind of flipped and we got some traction."
A reporter called a play by defensive lineman Mitchell Agude critical. Milanovich said: "Young guy, a rookie that I saw affect the quarterback at the very least a number of times there in the 4th quarter. Takes some time for these guys sometimes to get used to the yard off the ball, used to the speed of the game. I was glad to see him make some plays."
Rountree and the O-Line Answer the Call
Hamilton lost tight end Maximilian Mang, listed with a quad injury on the CFL's Week 18 injury report, right before kickoff, and Milanovich said the team adjusted personnel and run-game plays. Both Frost and Milanovich credited the group for stepping up without practice reps in their new roles.
"You had to readjust a bit of your blocking because of injuries," a reporter noted to Frost, pointing out the team hadn't established Rountree in the first half before leaning on him late. "We were able to hammer time there," Frost said. "We were able to finish them off. Proud of [Rountree] and the O-line for making that happen with the shuffle we had to do."
Milanovich said the run game gave Hamilton control late. "It was nice to see the run game get going there and get a lead, kind of lean on them. I thought [Rountree] did a great job. I thought we were moving guys on the line of scrimmage, so it was good to see."
Asked whether the line benefited from establishing that identity despite the shuffle, Milanovich said, "I'm sure it was. It always is. They love to run the football. We lost [Mang] right before the game, so we had to make some adjustments with personnel and even the plays that we were going to run in the run game. Those guys did a nice job of taking those without any reps and doing well with them."
Late Drives Pinned Deep, Milanovic-Litre's Role Expands
Frost was asked about the final scoring drives starting deep in Hamilton's own end. "All 3 of the drives that lead to touchdowns in the last 3 drives, other than the one you sat down on, they were basically in the shadow of your own goalposts," a reporter observed. "It was great, man," Frost said. "Like I said, we were able to stay on the field and string together a couple of long drives, so happy for the guys."
A reporter said running back Ante Milanovic-Litre made two plays on one of those drives. "I was happy for him," Frost said. "He's always telling me to just assault the flats because he's always in the flats. So I appreciate it."
Frost said Milanovic-Litre's role changed with Mang out. "He kind of found out pregame that he was going to get to play a lot more," Frost said. "So happy for him."
Fighting for Jobs With Playoffs Out of Reach
Milanovich was asked how much he can take from his team's effort with the postseason already out of the picture. "At this point everybody's playing, coaching, fighting for their jobs, and so every week the evaluation matters for every player, every coach, so we made that clear to everybody," he said. "But we have a lot of guys with some good character, and they're going to continue to fight."
He also commented on Kenny Lawler and on Frost's outing. "Kenny's an elite player offensively," Milanovich said. "I thought we left a few things out there. I thought Frosty played well. There was a couple plays in the first half that could have made a difference in the score."
Milanovich said the win reflects on the character of a team already eliminated from playoff contention. "I think it's a testament to our character to get knocked out of the playoffs, to still show up, do our job, and play for Hamilton and play for our people that care about us."
Two Games Remain
Frost called the win the first of a long stretch without one. "This is probably the most I've lost since I've been out there playing in my career, and so to get one, it feels good," he said. Asked if the win carries forward beyond just the feeling, Frost said, "Still 2 more games. No doubt. So hopefully we can build on it. It'd be great."
The win snapped a six-game road losing streak, and Frost said it was Hamilton's last road game of the season. Hamilton held Ottawa off the scoreboard over the final 30 minutes. "It's a happy plane ride home," Frost said. "So happy that we can celebrate on the way home this time."
Watch the Full Videos
Hamilton Tiger-Cats: Harrison Frost | Media Availability | October 2, 2026
Hamilton Tiger-Cats: Scott Milanovich | Media Availability | October 2, 2026