When the final whistle blew in Vancouver for the 111th Grey Cup, the Toronto Argonauts were victorious over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers with a convincing 41-24 win.  They would capture their 19th Grey Cup Championship in franchise history.

Like any football league, after the final play in a championship game, it is time to embrace and celebrate the moment, reflect on the season, resign some players, look at free agency, and focus on the upcoming CFL Draft. 

For the teams that have not made the playoffs, they had a head start in dissecting their roster.  With the 2024 season officially in the books, it was now time to turn your undivided attention to the 2025 CFL Season.  As free agency and the draft came to a close in 2025, all teams were narrowing down their respective rosters entering training camp. 

It was a repetitive day for every CFL team throughout training camp.  What surprise walk-on would make the final cuts? What veteran player would still be able to contribute at a physically demanding high level of intensity?  What rookie will have a breakthrough season?  What team would take that extra step forward in the playoffs?  What team regresses and experiences a sub-par season?  What team will be the surprise team?  Who will win the Grey Cup?

There were a lot of questions, as was the usual during each upcoming CFL season.  For the players, coaches, and football operations staff, every day was much the same.  Get up in the morning, enjoy a good workout, study your playbook, draft some new plays, watch game film, practice, attend team meetings, hydrate, eat, sleep, and repeat daily with the main objective to end your season in Winnipeg, Manitoba, for the 112th edition of the Grey Cup.

Hello CFL fans, here is your CFL News Hub 2025 CFL Season Year in Review.

East Division       

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

The expectations for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2025 were simple.  Win a Grey Cup.  Fans in Steeltown felt that on paper, they had one of the premier teams in the CFL.  More importantly, to play with consistency, as it has been a problem with Hamilton post their 2019 and 2021 Grey Cup appearances.

Hamilton was aggressive during free agency when they acquired the services of none other than Kenny Lawler.

Hamilton started slow out of the gate, beginning the season with a 0-2 record.  But the Tiger-Cats turned things around from week 4 (bye in week 3) to week 8.  During this span, Hamilton went on a 6-game winning streak, with some games being come-from-behind victories.

After the 6-game win streak, Hamilton was hit with a 3-game losing streak.  They lost a thrilling game in week 10 vs. BC (41-38) and a thrilling Toronto comeback during Labour Day (35-33).

With that said, Hamilton was able to end the season going 4-2 for their remaining games post Labour Day.

Overall, it was a different Tiger-Cats team that appeared to be hungrier than in seasons past.  It was not since their 15-3 record in 2019 that they were able to obtain a regular-season win total in double digits, finishing with an 11-7 record.  Collectively, the Tiger-Cats were hitting a form and appeared to be a team that had all the pieces to go the distance.  They were also a resilient squad.  The play of QB Bo Levi Mitchell, the hard running by RB Greg Bell, the receiving core of Kenny Lawler, Shemar Bridges, Kiondre Smith, and Tim White were one of the hardest offences to stop.  On the defensive side, the play of the defensive backfield of DaShaun Amos, Stavros Katsantonis, Reggie Stubblefield, and Jamal Peters was reliable.  They would consistently make receivers pay with a big hit.  The defensive line was solid, with the play of Julien Howsare and Casey Sayles making plays in the offensive backfield. 

Montreal Alouettes

In Montreal, their sole goal was to be in the Grey Cup, as was the case in 2023.  The Alouettes were still shell-shocked by what had occurred during the 2024 East Final vs. Toronto.  Toronto came out swinging early and, for the most part, took full advantage in that game at Molson Stadium, winning the East Final and heading to the Grey Cup.

On record, Montreal was heading into the 2025 season as one of the Grey Cup favourites, as they were able to retain a good part of their roster during free agency.  

Unfortunately for Davis Alexander, a hamstring injury would make him absent for a good part of the season, as he was only able to play in 8 games.  The offence was not the same in Montreal if Davis Alexander was not the signal caller.  This was evident when the Alouettes were 5-2, only to experience a 5-game losing streak, dropping their record to 5-7.

In week 15, Davis Alexander made his return with a convincing 48-31 win on the road in Regina.  The Alouettes would embark on a 5-1 record to complete their schedule, finishing with a 10-8 record.  The Alouettes had a good season, led by a hard-hitting defence that can change the outcome of the game.  The big question was how Davis Alexander would be able to play over the course of the playoffs, as the hamstring issues reoccurred from time to time.

The one component that Montreal thrived on since 2022 was the defensive unit, led by defensive coordinator Noel Thorpe.  They had one of the most feared defences in the CFL.  The secondary was led by one of the premier backfields in Marc-Antoine Dequoy, Najee Murray and Wesley Sutton.  It was a difficult task each week trying to stop the pass rush by Lwal Uguak and Issac Adeyemi-Berglund.         

Toronto Argonauts

After riding the high of being a Grey Cup Champion in 2024, the Argos were looking to see if they could repeat their great success in 2025.

Unfortunately for Toronto during free agency, they experienced the biggest hit in talent on the defensive side of the ball with the losses of DL Jake Ceresna, DL Jared Brinkman, DB Royce Metchie, and DL Robbie Smith, all signed with Edmonton. DB DaShawn Amos signed with Hamilton, LB Fraser Sopik signed with Calgary, DL Folarin Orimolade was traded to Calgary, and LB / DB Robert Priester signed with Ottawa.

The 2025 Argos were depleted, with plenty of new faces entering the 2025 season.  To make matters worse, QB Chad Kelly did not start any games, nor was he pencilled into any depth chart, as she was listed on long-term injury lists throughout the season.

The offence struggled running the ball, as it was not the same as years past.  If there was any bright spot on the offence, it was the play at quarterback led by Nick Arbuckle, along with the passing attack.  WR Kevin Mital had an incredible season, along with a newcomer by the name of Derek Slywka at DB and as a kick returner. 

Inconsistencies from the defence and special teams were a hard pill to swallow.  The Argos gave up too many yards and touchdowns when it came down to special teams coverage.  The defence as a whole was exposed on many occasions. In the end, they led the CFL with the most points allowed with 583.  Winning within the division was also a challenge, obtaining only a 2-6 record.  At the end of the day, Toronto would finish the 2025 season with a 5-13 record.     

Ottawa Redblacks

After tasting success in making the playoffs in 2024 for the first time since 2018, the Redblacks were looking for greener pastures.  During free agency, they acquired WR Geno Lewis and LB Robert Priester.  The Redblacks also jumped on the opportunity to obtain the services of RB William Stanback after being released by BC. 

There was a lot of optimism for the Redblacks entering the 2025 season, as they gave Toronto a run for their money in the 2024 East Final, losing 58-38.

After beginning the season 0-2 to losses from Saskatchewan and Montreal, respectively, they would hit the win column in week 3 with a 20-12 upset win at Calgary.  Unfortunately, Ottawa would experience a tailspin, losing its next 4 games, entering a bye in week 8.  Currently with a 1-6 record, Ottawa was hit at the wrong time during this period, as QB Dru Brown was riddled with heavy hits every week.  This would also be a problem for the whole season.  The offensive line lacked protection up front to protect Dru Brown when he was available.

Factoring in many miscues in dropped passes and turnovers at the wrong time in a game, it was a recipe for disaster for the 2025 Ottawa Redblacks.

After week 8, Ottawa would only obtain 3 more wins to finish off with a 4-14 record.  To say this was a step back is an understatement.  

Head coach Bob Dyce would later be relieved of his duties.  On the bright side, they were quick to counter in acquiring Ryan Dinwiddie after being granted permission to speak to Ryan Dinwiddie by the Toronto Argonauts. 

West Division

Saskatchewan Roughriders

After getting their feet wet with a 9-8-1 record in 2024 to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since the 2021 season, the Roughriders were looking to improve their record and not follow the back-to-back 6-12 records that had occurred in 2022 and 2023.

Second-year Saskatchewan Roughriders coach Corey Mace’s current squad has all the tools to be one of the best in the CFL, along with being in the conversation of a Grey Cup Championship.  The one burning question was, can QB Trevor Harris play a full season if there were any level of injury?

Saskatchewan hit the ground running, and it appeared that nobody in the CFL could match up with them.  By week 4, they were a perfect 4-0 entering their week 5 bye week.  Although they won a lot of close games, what the Roughriders were showing the league was that they know how to close out games and protect a lead.

After a week 6 loss to Calgary (24-10), the Roughriders were back on another win streak with another 4 straight wins.  However, they would lose to Calgary (32-15) again in week 12 (had a bye in week 10).  They would bounce back again in back-to-back weeks, facing Winnipeg and walking away with both victories in weeks 13 (34-30) and 14 (21-13).  From week 15 to week 21, with a bye in week 16, the Saskatchewan Roughriders would only account for 2 more wins, going 2-4 in that stretch.  They would still end the season with a 12-6 record in what would be the best overall record in the CFL.

There were still some areas of concern for the Roughriders entering the playoffs about how the last quarter of games had unfolded.  With that said, they still had one of the best defensive units in the league, followed by a powerful running game and a great receiving core.      

 BC Lions

The Lions were looking to make a mark this season.  On record, the playmaking abilities of WR Keon Hatcher, WR Justin McInnis, WR Stanley Berryhill III, RB James Butler, and RB Zander Horvath were a good problem to have for QB Nathan Rourke.

Things appeared bleak for the Lions by the time week 8 arrived.  With a 3-5 record and a bye in week 9, BC was unable to hold onto leads.  The talent was there for the Leos.  Playing a 60-minute game was not consistent.

Greater things came about for the Leos after their week 13 bye week.  In week 14, they would drop a close game to Ottawa (34-33).  With a 5-7 record, the BC Lions embarked on a 6-game winning streak to complete the season with an 11-7 record.  During that span, it was a different BC Lions team.  The defence led by the best defensive end in the game, Mathieu Betts, bone-crushing hits by LB Micah Awe, LB Josh Woods, along with a readable defensive backfield of T.J. Lee and Garry Peters. 

What the BC Lions did was make the rest of the teams in the CFL take notice that this team was hitting their stride at the right time and was fully capable of knocking down the top teams in the CFL come playoff time. 

Calgary Stampeders

The Stampeders were looking to erase their dreadful performance that was in 2024.  It was rock bottom for Cow Town with a 5-12-1 record, missing the playoffs for the first time since the 2005 season.  What Calgary did in 2025 was the complete opposite.  It was one of the biggest bounce-back seasons in the CFL.

Calgary started on a winning note from the opening kickoff.  They would take down Hamilton 38-26 in week 1, Toronto 29-19 in week 2, followed by a loss to Ottawa 20-12 in week 3.  After a bye in week 4, Calgary were back in the win column in week 5 with a 37-16 victory over Winnipeg, a 24-20 win over Saskatchewan in week 6, followed by another 41-20 win over Winnipeg in week 7.  With a healthy 5-1 record, Calgary was playing some great football.

By the time week 13 came about, Calgary was sitting on an 8-3 record.  However, they would encounter a tailspin that would result in a 4-game losing streak.  With a record of 8-7, Calgary needed to win as Edmonton was still alive in the playoff hunt.

Vernon Adams Jr. was struggling during this span.  Vernon Adams Jr. was able to dig deep and carry Calgary on his shoulders to win the last three games of the schedule, and have the Stamps punch their ticket to the playoffs with an 11-7 record.    

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Adversity was felt for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2025.  After 5 straight Grey Cup appearances, the question was, can Winnipeg retain its dominance in the West Division?

Winnipeg was a resilient team last season after beginning the season with a 2-6 record.  They were still a football team that could turn on a dime and turn their season around, as has been done in the past.

Unfortunately, Zach Collaros also missed a lot of games with the accumulation of hard hits over the course of a football season.  It is no different than any other team; when your leader and your best quarterback go down, it changes your chances of success.

Winnipeg was an unpredictable team this season.  They can blow out a team one week and fall completely flat the next.

They would still qualify for the playoffs with a 10-8 record.  It was good enough for 4th in the West Division, and would be a crossover team for the East Semi-Final.  There were doubters that this could be the end of the Winnipeg modern legacy.  This was still a team that was a force to be reckoned with, the talent of Zach Collaros and the best overall dual-threat running back, Brady Oliveira.  Nick Demski was still one of the best clutch receivers in the game.  On special teams, Trey Vaval made a name for himself this season with impressive punt and kickoff returns leading to touchdowns.  On the defence, it was still a punishing brand of football with Demario Houston, Evan Holm, Nick Hallett, Deatrick Nichols, Tony Jones, Redha Kramdi, Kyrie Wilson, Cameron Lawson, and the great Willie Jefferson. 

Nothing is ever easy in football, especially when you’ve been a successful football team. 

Edmonton Elks

The Elks were looking to take the next step in attempting to have another crack at the playoffs.  Patience was running thin in Edmonton, as they last played in the playoffs in 2019.  The Chris Jones experiment was a bust, as he took too long to make adjustments, mainly at quarterback.

With Mark Kiliam now in control as the head coach, there was a lot of optimism for the possible turnaround for the 2025 Edmonton Elks. 

After beginning the season with a 1-4 record, doubts were being raised again, as it has been the same trend since 2021. Tre Ford had flashes of brilliance as usual.  There were times when Ford was not consistent, which was a major concern in clock management, resulting in short drives and transitions to punts. 

A change was made after the week 7 bye week. Cody Fajardo would take the reins as the starting quarterback and did not look back.  Edmonton suffered another loss in week 8 to Saskatchewan, 21-18.  Take the loss aside, it was a better showing.  The offensive line was vulnerable, and Fajardo did hang onto the ball too long at times.  The Elks’ defence took on the best team in the CFL.

The wins began with a 3-game winning streak.  The Elks would win 23-22 over Montreal, 28-20 over Toronto, and 30-20 over Ottawa. 

The Elks were establishing a balanced offence that was exciting to see.  Justin Rankin was showing his value for the Green and Gold with his blocking, running, and catching out of the backfield. 

On the defence, LB Joel Dublanko took a big step forward, making big plays all year.  DL Noah Taylor was a staple on the defensive line.  In the defensive backfield, Tyrell Ford and Kordell Jackson stood tall.  LB Nick Anderson and LB Nyles Morgan, unfortunately, were hit with the injury bug.  When they did play, it was a good problem to have for Edmonton.  The defensive line was also riddled with injuries throughout the season.  It also took a while for it to gel when it came to the amount of pressure and sacks in an opponent’s backfield.

After a 28-7 loss on Labour Day, the Elks were 4-7.  With playoff chances shrinking, the Elks needed to make up some ground.  After beating Calgary 31-19 the week after Labour Day, the Elks hit a roadblock.  They would go 2-4 in their next 6 games, resulting in a 7-11 record.

It was another disappointing season for the Edmonton Elks.  On the flip side, they showed a lot more improvement than in recent seasons.  This was a team that did not back down from any challenge.  The special teams play, the offence, and the defence showed a lot of character.  If this were present in 2025, the 2026 Edmonton Elks would be a more polished team.

Breaking News:

On September 22nd, 2025, Commissioner Stewart Johnston announced the following changes during the 2026 and 2027 seasons:

For the 2026 season, the rouge will be modified.  The rouge will not be awarded from a failed field goal attempt that goes wide of the goalposts.  Moreover, it will not be awarded if punt or kickoff sails through or rolls out of the back or the sides of an end zone without being touched by a returner.   

Teams will now have team benches on the opposite sides of the field.  This reduces players having to run 50-60 yards in between plays for substitutions.

A 35-second play clock will automatically begin after a dead play.

For the 2027 season, goal posts will be moved to the back of the end zone.  This reduces obstruction to avoid any pass disruptions in the passing game, along with removing the obstruction in the middle third of the end zone. 

End zones will be reduced to 15 yards.  Toronto has an 18-yard end zone, while some stadiums have a track around the field.  The reduced size makes every field universal.

The playing field will be reduced from 110 yards to 100 yards long.

Breaking News:            

On September 25th, 2025, Edmonton Elks owner Larry Thompson passed away at 65 years old due to complications during a surgery.

It was a sad day for the football community as Larry Tompson, a local Edmontonian and lifelong Edmonton fan, purchased the team on August 15th, 2024.     

The 2025 CFL Playoffs

East Semi-Final

Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs. Montreal Alouettes

Date:  Saturday, November 1st, 2025

Location:  Percival Molson Memorial Stadium / Montreal, Quebec

The stage was set for the East Semi-Final.  The Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who qualified from a West Division crossover spot to the East Semi-Final, had a tough test ahead, facing a repeat of the 2023 Grey Cup, the Montreal Alouettes.

One could judge the week prior on who had the advantage here to punch their ticket to the East Final.  Winnipeg was not the same this year, with inconsistencies throughout the 2025 season.  They would look superb one week and fall flat the next.  For Montreal, the obvious was there.  If Winnipeg made it a long day for Davis Alexander, they had a chance.

Montreal came out hungry and appeared as if they would walk away with the game.  They would strike first, scoring the first 17 points of the game all in the 1st quarter.  Winnipeg appeared to look out of place as they had no answer for the potent offensive flow of Montreal.  On the defence, Montreal poured on the pressure in waves, halting the running and passing game.

There was a bit more of a level playing field as Winnipeg made the necessary adjustments in the 2nd quarter.  The offence was able to move the ball, and the Bombers’ defence was better at keeping the Montreal offence in check.  Winnipeg would put their first points on the board with a pair of field goals, while Montreal would score a lone touchdown to bring the score at halftime with a 25-6 Montreal lead.

When the 3rd quarter began, Winnipeg played the quarter as best as a comeback could be.  Zach Collaros, in conjunction with the Winnipeg defence, caused turnover after turnover and found many ways to get Winnipeg back into the football game.  And what happened was remarkable, scoring 19 unanswered points to take a 27-25 lead.  Montreal would counter later in the 3rd with a touchdown, stopping the bleeding to take a 33-27 lead. 

As the 4th quarter came about, both teams exchanged blows as it should, considering it was the last quarter to seal a victory and move to the East Final.  Sergio Castillo would open the scoring with a 44-yard field goal.  Montreal would punt on its next possession.  However, Montreal would claim the ball due to a Brady Oliveira fumble.  The momentum switched back in favour of Montreal.  Stevie Scott III would seal the drive with a 7-yard touchdown.  Sergio Castillo would be the offence again for Winnipeg, connecting on a 16-yard field goal.  After an exchange of punts, Winnipeg would get the ball back, starting at the Winnipeg 45-yard line after the kickoff from a Jose Maltos-Diaz field goal.  With 00:21 left in the game, Zach Collaros tossed an interception, ending any hope for a Winnipeg comeback.  Montreal would win 42-33 in a highly entertaining game.             

West Semi-Final:

Calgary Stampeders vs. BC Lions

Date:  Saturday, November 1st, 2025

Location:  BC Place Stadium / Vancouver, BC

It had all the makings to be an offensive shootout with both QB Veron Adams Jr. and Nathan Rourke going head-to-head.  The stage was set in BC Place Stadium, and the Lions crowd was electric.

Both football teams were cautious, with the defence taking control in the 1st quarter.  The only offence that was produced was both teams kicking a field goal each.

Calgary would open the scoring in the 2nd quarter with a rouge.  When the Lions received the ball back, Nathan Rourke went to work picking apart the Stampeders’ defence.  He would march his offence down the field to be capped off with Jeremiah Masoli’s short-yardage touchdown, scoring the first major of the game.  Calgary would then counter with a good offensive series to set up a 35-yard Rene Paredes field goal.  BC would then respond on their next possession, setting up a Sean Whyte 39-yard field goal.  It appeared that both teams’ offences were now establishing a good flow to the game with a balanced offence.  Calgary would then have a long drive that would carry into the 3rd quarter, as time expired in the 2nd quarter.  At halftime, BC was leading 13-7.

The 3rd quarter was anything you could ask for in a playoff game.  With Calgary experiencing a good offensive series at the end of the 2nd quarter, the BC defence came up big with a 10-yard sack by Micah Awe.  Nathan Rourke would orchestrate a long drive and cap it off by carrying the team on his back with a 7-yard run to the end zone.  Veron Adams Jr. would respond quickly with a drive of his own, completing the drive, connecting with Jalen Philpot on a 30-yard strike for a touchdown.  On the ensuing kickoff, BC received a special teams spark with a 95-yard return for a touchdown by Robert Carter Jr.  Once again, it was Calgary that would answer the bell.  Calgary would begin its possession from its 40-yard line.  Vernon Adams Jr. would be the maestro moving the Calgary offence.  He would connect with Clark Barnes for a touchdown with 02:11 remaining in the 3rd quarter.  With 01:52 left in the 3rd quarter, the see-saw battle would continue with Nathan Rourke matching every play to counter Calgary.  The BC current drive would continue into the 4th quarter as time expired.

With an explosive display in the 3rd quarter, it was only fitting that this game could potentially go down to the wire.  BC would punt from their previous drive that carried over from the 3rd quarter.  Calgary orchestrated a long drive that would result in a touchdown.  After a failed point after conversion, Calgary was back to potentially win the game.  With 02:49 left in the game, Nathan Rourke needed to create some magic.  He would once again move the ball on the Calgary defence down the field to set up a 39-yard Sean Whyte field goal.  Calgary would then counter with a Rene Paredes 38-yard field goal on the next drive with the game now tied 30-30.  With BC in possession with 00:23 left in the game, Nathan Rourke used the clock to his advantage and set up a 43-yard field goal attempt that was successful by Sean Whyte as time expired.  The BC Lions would win 33-30 in a thrilling game.             

East Final:

Montreal Alouettes vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Date:  Saturday, November 8th, 2025

Location:  Hamilton Stadium / Hamilton, Ontario

It was expected that these two teams would meet in the playoffs at some point.  Both were the top two teams in the East Division.  On that note, it was only fitting that the two would square off with the winner heading to Winnipeg, Manitoba, for the Grey Cup.  With an offensive explosion during the East and West Semi-Finals, this game was entertaining in another good way.  Any football fan will tell you that even a defence can still be great to watch.  With that said, this game was fully capable of being an offensive display.

Although both teams were able to drive the ball in the 1st quarter, the end result was that no team was in a position to obtain any points.  The opening quarter would end in a result of punting from every possession.

When the 2nd quarter arrived, Wesley Sutton intercepted a Bo Levi Mitchell pass.  However, the punting continued as Montreal was halted again by a Tiger-Cats defence that was tough to crack.  After another punt by Hamilton, Montreal scored the first points of the game from the leg of Jose Maltos-Diaz with a 29-yard field goal.  This was followed by back-to-back punts from both teams, and the defence appeared to display no signs of rust.  Hamilton would finally score their first points of the game with 00:40 left in the half from a 29-yard field goal by Marc Liegghio.  With 00:07 left in the half, a 36-yard field goal was applied by Jose Maltos-Diaz, giving Montreal a 6-3 lead at halftime.

Montreal was able to strike with the first touchdown of the game from the opening kickoff.  Davis Alexander was able to find holes in the Hamilton defence.  With a good field position from the Montreal 47-yard line, Montreal was able to march down the field and end with a scoring drive that was capped off with a Tyler Snead for a 28-yard touchdown.  Bo Levi Mitchell would then divvy up and match the scoring with his own drive, capped off with a Shemar Bridges touchdown.  Davis Alexander would then be picked off on his next series.  However, Montreal was able to halt Hamilton from scoring any points to end the 3rd quarter.

With the game slightly favouring Montreal with a 13-10 lead, it was a hard-hitting defence from both teams.  Montreal would cap off a long 5:00 drive that would end with the points from Jose Maltos-Diaz from another field goal from 17 yards.  Hamilton would then respond with another field goal from Marc Liegghio from 49 yards.  With half a quarter left in the game, Marc Liegghio would tie up the game with a 23-yard field goal with 01:47 left in the game.  Montreal would receive the ball back with 01:41 left in the game.  With time winding down, Davis Alexander, using the clock to his advantage, set up a 45-yard field goal with 00:02 left on the clock.  The kick was successful, sending Montreal to the Grey Cup with a 16-13 win over Hamilton.        

West Final:

BC Lions vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders

Date:  Saturday, November 8th, 2025

Location:  Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field / Regina, Saskatchewan

It’s the BC Lions.  It’s the Saskatchewan Roughriders.  Welcome to the West Division Final. 

The Saskatchewan Roughriders were the most consistent team, while the BC Lions were the hottest team entering the post-season.  Something had to give.

In the 1st quarter, it was a game of defence for both teams.  Saskatchewan would obtain the first points scored on a rouge after a series of punts from both squads.

In the 2nd quarter, Sean Whyte would miss a field goal from a 42-yard attempt.  The game shifted back to defence as both sides created a fair share of punts.  BC would scrimmage the ball from their 7-yard line at the 08:40 mark.  What Nathan Rourke did in this series was to wear down the Riders’ defence.  He did just that with a long drive that was 4:24.  It would be capped off with a 4-yard touchdown run by Nathan Rourke.  The punting continued for both sides until Saskatchewan was able to end the 2nd quarter with a 22-yard field goal by Brett Lauther.

When the 3rd quarter began, Saskatchewan began to take control.  Trevor Harris would connect with Kian Schaffer-Baker for a 3-yard touchdown at the 10:17 mark of the 3rd quarter after a lengthy drive.  BC would then punt on its next possession.  After a fumble by AJ Ouellette at 08:39, BC took over, and was short-lived.  A Nathan Rourke pass was intercepted by Jameer Thurman and returned for 10 yards.  Saskatchewan would add onto its total with another Brett Lauther field goal from 34 yards with 01:51 left in the 3rd quarter.  Nathan Rourke would eventually be sacked on the next drive.  He would then toss an 18-yard pass to Jevon Cottoy to close out the quarter.  The Roughriders would have a 14-7 lead.

With the game close for both sides, it was going to be an exciting 4th quarter.  BC would begin their series from where it left off with a bounce-back drive.  The drive would end with a Keon Hatcher 19-yard touchdown.  BC would then force Saskatchewan to punt on their next possession.  BC would drive the ball down the field again and strike for another major with a 2-yard touchdown run by Nathan Rourke.  BC looked to be in the driver’s seat with 06:38 left in the game. When the Roughriders got the ball back, it resulted in a lengthy drive that resulted in a 13-yard field goal.  BC was unable to do anything on their next drive, which resulted in a punt.  When Saskatchewan got the ball back with 01:56 left in the game, there was no room for error.  BC forced them to punt the ball.  After another misfire by BC, the ball was back in the Roughriders’ court with 01:03 left in the game.  Trevor Harris was able to break down the BC defence and hit Tommy Neild for a 3-yard touchdown with 00:11 left in the game.  There was a lot of criticism of this touchdown, and camera angles showed a view of the ball hitting the playing surface.  After further review, the call stood.  The Saskatchewan Roughriders would win 24-21 in a thrilling game and head to the Grey Cup.          

The 112th Grey Cup:

Saskatchewan Roughriders vs. Montreal Alouettes

Date:  Sunday, November 16th, 2025

Location:  Princess Auto Stadium / Winnipeg, Manitoba

After some very entertaining playoff rounds concluded for the 2025 CFL season, it all came down to the final two teams remaining.  The stage was set with a final game between the East Champion Montreal Alouettes versus the West Champion Saskatchewan Roughriders.  Both respected teams had great seasons with explosive offences, followed by stingy and productive defences, along with strong special teams play.  Given the way both teams had played out their respective seasons, there were questions about how the outcome would unfold.  Would Davis Alexander finish the season being undefeated as a starting QB with Montreal?  More importantly, how would his hamstring hold up, as it has been a problem all season?  Could Trevor Harris win one as a starter?  For Trevor Harris, it was the first time in a while that he played a full season, and not being a victim of the injury bug for long stretches of a season. 

During the opening drive, the defences on both sides came alive.  Big stops and big tackles were halting any offensive pressure.  Marcus Sayles set the tone for the Saskatchewan defence.  During a 1st and 10 from the Montreal 52-yard line, Davis Alexander tested the Saskatchewan secondary, going for a deep shot to connect with Tyson Philpot.  The only problem for Davis Alexander was that Marcus Sayles countered with a perfect timing play for an interception.

What eventually became poetic for any CFL fan was that on the ensuing drive by Saskatchewan, it resulted in a rouge.  Saskatchewan would be up 1-0 to open the scoring.

After an exchange of punts by both teams, Montreal would construct a long drive deep into the 1st quarter.  It would be capped off by a Shea Patterson touchdown on a short yardage play with 1:12 left in the 1st quarter.  After the 1st quarter ended, it was Montreal 7, Saskatchewan 1.  There was a lot of everything in the 1st quarter, as it was an entertaining beginning to set the tone.

With the 2nd quarter now in sight for Saskatchewan, Trevor Harris went to work with a long drive from a setup by special teams, setting up respectable field position from the Saskatchewan 37-yard line before the end of the 1st quarter.  Harris would rely on the always dependable AJ Ouellette, powering through with hard-earned yards in the running game.  Samuel Emilus would also come up with key catches on the drive to march down Montreal territory.  Tommy Stevens would punch in a touchdown on short yardage, giving Saskatchewan the lead 8-7.

Although Montreal moved the ball on Saskatchewan, they would be shut out in the 2nd quarter.  The half would end with a 15-7 lead by Saskatchewan as it was followed by another touchdown by AJ Ouellette with 02:39 left in the 2nd quarter.  To make matters worse for Montreal, Davis Alexander tossed another interception with 00:02 left in the 2nd quarter to end the half.

With Saskatchewan deferring on the coin toss to receive the ball to open the game, they played their cards right in scoring the final minutes of the 1st half to receive the ball to open the 2nd half.  They again made the most of their opportunities.

Once again, Saskatchewan marched down the field to open the 2nd half. A three-play drive led by AJ Ouellette, Tommy Nield, and Kian Schaffer-Baker was followed by another Tommy Stevens touchdown off a short-yardage play.

After back-to-back possessions resulting in punts, Davis Alexander would toss another interception.  Saskatchewan would then add a field goal from the Montreal miscue to lead 18-7.  With the momentum shifting to Saskatchewan, Montreal needed to answer.  Even being down by 11 points, Montreal needed consistency to keep pace with the game and not let Saskatchewan break the game open.  

With 03:49 left in the 3rd quarter, Davis Alexander and the Alouettes needed to play error-free from here on to have a chance of a comeback win.  Davis Alexander did just that with the load of yardage coming from Stevie Scott III.  Stevie Scott III would cap off a touchdown run with 00:00 left in the 3rd quarter.

With Montreal kicking off to Saskatchewan, the Alouettes needed big stops, along with Saskatchewan not obtaining long drives to kill off valuable time remaining in the game. 

Montreal did just that and had the momentum after a missed 39-yard field goal attempt by Brett Lauther.  With 06:31 left in the game, Montreal went to work constructing a long drive from their 19-yard line.  However, the drive came to an abrupt end with a fumble from Shea Patterson trying to cap off a 3-yard run to score a touchdown.  Tevaughn Campbell came out with a textbook hit, causing a fumble and recovered by Marcus Sayles. 

With now 01:08 remaining in the game from a punt from Saskatchewan on the following drive from the turnover, Montreal had the ball starting from their 23-yard line.  It was a now-or-never moment for Montreal as Jose Maltos-Diaz was the only offence with at the 07:52 mark of the 4th quarter.  Davis Alexander matched the Montreal offence down the field with 00:52 left on the game clock.  With now in a 2nd and 10 play in Saskatchewan territory, Davis Alexander had to throw a deep shot in the endzone.  As the game clock went to 00:00, the pass was broken for any Alouette receivers to make any possible play.

In the end, the Saskatchewan Roughriders won the Grey Cup 25-17 over the Montreal Alouettes in a highly entertaining game that featured many momentum swings.

What made this game special was the fact that it was the last Grey Cup before the major changes that would come to fruition over the course of the 2026 and 2027 seasons.  Winnipeg was a great host for the 2025 Grey Cup, as it has historically demonstrated that hosting the Grey Cup in the Canadian Prairies always makes it a special event.