The Hamilton Tiger-Cats (4-9) hosted the Ottawa Redblacks (8-4-1) on Saturday afternoon from Tim Hortons Field in the annual Hall of Fame Game. This year’s class featured S.J. Green, Chad Owens, Marvin Coleman, Weston Dressler, Vince Goldsmith, Ray Jauch, and Ed Laverty.
This was the second meeting of the season. They met in Week 4 where the Redblacks won by two points in Ottawa. Ottawa had a chance to clinch a playoff spot but the Ticats made sure it did not happen on their field.
First Quarter:
Hamilton got the ball to start the game on their 42-yard line. Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell completed 4 of 5 passes for 29 yards to reach the Redblacks’ 39-yard line. The drive stalled and kicker Marc Liegghio made a 47-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead with 12:18 left.
Ottawa’s offense was on the field for the first drive from their 40-yard line. On the first play, quarterback Dru Brown attempted to complete a long pass to Nick Mardner but it was incomplete. A defensive pass interference penalty by Will Sunderland gave the Redblacks an automatic first down from the Ticats’ 33-yard line.
Two plays later, Brown completed a pass to Dominique Rhymes. Rhymes was hit hard by Nick Usher causing the ball to come loose and Usher came away with the football. However, the refs determined that Rhymes was down by contact on the Ticats’ 22-yard line. This led head coach Scott Milanovich to challenge the play for a fumble.
After the command center reviewed the play, it was determined that the ball came out just before Rhymes hit the ground and it was the Ticats football from their 22-yard line with 10:41 left. Hamilton went two-and-out and punted the ball back to Ottawa. Ottawa returner Eli Stove returned the punt for 25 yards before he was tackled down on their 46-yard line.
Ottawa quarterback Dru Brown completed 4 of 5 passes for 52 yards to reach the Ticats’ 17-yard line. Kicker Lewis Ward made a 24-yard line and the game was tied 3-3 with 6:16 left of the first quarter.
On Hamilton’s next series, quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell threw a 17-yard pass to Steven Dunbar Jr., and running back Greg Bell rushed for a gain of 12 yards to reach the Redblacks’ 41-yard line. On the next play, Ottawa defensive back Alijah McGhee punched the ball out of Greg Bell’s arm and Davion Taylor recovered it on their 35-yard line with 4:15 left.
Ottawa went two-and-out on their next drive. Punter Richie Leonie punted the ball 48 yards to Lawrence Woods III. Woods III raced his way past everyone to score an 83-yard touchdown and Hamilton took a 10-3 lead with 2:53 left of the first quarter. It was his first special teams touchdown since 2022.
After Ottawa went two-and-out, Hamilton had the ball for the final 1:20 of the first quarter. On the final play, running back Ante Milanovic-Litre rushed for a gain of eight yards to reach the Redblacks’ 48-yard line to end the first quarter up 10-3.
Hamilton had 106 yards on offense (78 yards passing, 28 yards rushing) 5 first downs, 0 for 1 in the red zone, and was penalized one time for 37 yards. Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell completed 8 of 10 passes for 78 yards. Ottawa had 68 yards (63 yards passing, 5 yards rushing), three first downs, 0 for 1 in the red zone, and was penalized three times for 15 yards.
Second Quarter:
In the second quarter, Bo Levi Mitchell’s pass intended for Brenden O’Leary-Orange in the end zone was intercepted by Brandin Dandridge. Ottawa’s offense started on their 30-yard line. Running back Khalan Laborn had two carries for nine yards to reach their 39-yard line and faced third down. Backup quarterback Dustin Crum came in to attempt to get the first down but he was short and they turned the ball over to Hamilton.
Hamilton quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell completed a deep pass to Shemar Bridges for 25 yards to reach the Redblacks’ 15-yard line. The Ticats suffered a scare when running back Greg Bell went up in the air before the ball popped out as he hit the ground. Ottawa defensive back Damon Webb initially returned the fumble for a touchdown.
However, the command center reviewed the play and determined that Bell was down by contact on the Redblacks’ 12-yard line. Kicker Marc Liegghio made a 19-yard field goal for a 13-3 lead with 9:47 left before halftime.
Ottawa quarterback Dru Brown threw five passes for 45 yards, and running back Khalan Laborn rushed for a gain of two yards to reach the Ticats’23-yard line. After the drive stalled, kicker Lewis Ward made a 30-yard field goal and the Redblacks trailed the Tiger-Cats 13-6 with 5:44 left before halftime.
Hamilton quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell completed a short pass to Steven Dunbar Jr. for 18 yards to reach the Redblacks’ 52-yard line. Running back Greg Bell and Ante Milanovic-Litre combined with three carries logging 13 yards but were short of the first down. Kicker Marc Liegghio missed a 47-yard field goal wide left but Eli Stove conceded the single point. It was now 14-6 Hamilton with 2:15 left before halftime.
Ottawa went two-and-out on their drive and the Ticats took over on their 40-yard line. Three plays later, Ottawa was set up to blitz Mitchell. Once Mitchell got the ball, the Redblacks blitzed but Mitchell threw a quick slant pass to Steven Dunbar Jr. and he took off for a 54-yard touchdown.
Hamilton’s lead was now 21-6 with 42 seconds left capping off a four-play drive for 70 yards in 55 seconds. Ottawa had the ball for the final 34 seconds. Quarterback Dru Brown threw two passes for 14 yards to end the second quarter down 21-6.
First Half Stats:
Hamilton had 260 yards on offense (210 passing, 50 yards rushing), 12 first downs, 0 for 1 in the red zone, and the team penalized one time for 37 yards. Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell completed 14 of 20 passes (70%) for 210 yards, and one interception. Running back Greg Bell had seven carries for 30 yards, and Ante Milanovic-Litre had four carries for 20 yards.
Wide receiver Steven Dunbar Jr. made five catches for 113 yards, one touchdown, and Shemar Bridges made five catches for 55 yards. Hamilton’s defense made three tackles for loss, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.
Ottawa had 144 yards on offense (127 yards passing, 17 yards rushing), six first downs, 0 for 1 in the red zone, and the team penalized five times for 35 yards. Quarterback Dru Brown completed 13 of 21 passes (62%) for 127 yards. Running back Khalan Laborn had four carries for 16 yards.
Wide receiver Dominique Rhymes made four catches for 44 yards, and Jaelon Acklin made four catches for 42 yards. Ottawa’s defense made one tackle for loss, one interception, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries.
Third Quarter:
Ottawa got the ball the start the third quarter from their 20-yard line. The Redblacks’ offense moved the ball to their 54-yard line. Then, Hamilton’s defense pressured Dru Brown when Brandon Barlow sacked him causing Brown to lose the football and Nick Usher recovered it for an 11-yard return to the Redblacks’ 38-yard line.
The Ticats marched down to Redblacks’ 28-yard line before the drive stalled. Kicker Marc Liegghio missed a 36-yard field goal wide right where Ottawa returner Eli Stove conceded a single point. It was now 22-6 Hamilton with 7:55 left.
Ottawa’s offense ran four rushing plays for 35 yards to start their next drive. Next, quarterback Dru Brown completed two passes for 10 yards to reach the Ticats’ 25-yard line. Then, Dru Brown’s pass intended for Justin Hardy was intercepted by Jonathan Moxey for a three-yard return to reach their 14-yard line.
Hamilton running back Greg Bell started the next drive with two carries for 29 yards to reach their 43-yard line. Next, quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell threw two passes for 47 yards to reach the Redblacks’ 20-yard line. Then, Bo Levi Mitchell faked a handoff to Ante Milanovic-Litre before throwing him the football. Milanovic-Litre broke several tackles to score a 20-yard touchdown for a 29-6 lead with 1:09 left of the third quarter capping off a five-play drive for 96 yards.
Dru Brown was benched and Jeremiah Masoli was the new quarterback for Ottawa. Masoli threw two passes for 19 yards to close out the third quarter down 29-6.
Fourth Quarter:
In the fourth quarter, Ottawa continued to march down the field to reach the Ticats’ 13-yard line. On third down, quarterback Jeremiah Masoli threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Andre Miller. Hamilton’s defense had a three-man rush allowing Masoli to find Miller and the Redblacks trailed the Ticats 29-13 with 11:58 left of the game capping off a nine-play drive for 79 yards in four minutes.
Hamilton went two-and-out, and Ottawa’s offense had the ball on their 26-yard line. Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli threw three passes for 43 yards to the Ticats’ 41-yard line. Next, Masoli rushed for a gain of one yard before completing 2 of 3 passes for 30 yards to reach the Ticats’ 10-yard line. He was picking apart the Hamilton secondary and spreading the ball around.
Then, Hamilton’s defense put little pressure on Masoli allowing him to briefly run with the football. He had his eyes set on Dominique Rhymes before throwing a 10-yard touchdown to him. The crowd at Tim Hortons Field was getting quiet. The Redblacks went for a two-point conversion and got it. Ottawa trailed the Hamilton 29-21 with 6:58 left of the game to cap off an eight-play drive for 84 yards in three minutes.
Hamilton’s offense was back out on their 45-yard line needing to get points. During the drive, Ottawa was penalized two times for 25 yards and the ball was placed on their 31-yard line. Hamilton running back Greg Bell had three carries for 29 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown. Bell also scored the two-point conversion and Hamilton led 37-21 with 2:58 left of the game to cap off a seven-play drive for 65 yards in three minutes and thirty-eight seconds.
Hamilton’s defense made quick work when Dustin Talbert intercepted Jeremiah Masoli’s pass intended for Justin Hardy on their 25-yard line. Hamilton’s offense gained 24 yards to take time off the clock and punted the ball back to Ottawa with 1:51 left of the game.
Ottawa quarterback Jeremiah Masoli threw a 24-yard pass to Dominique Rhymes to reach their 52-yard line. On the next play, Masoli tried to throw another long pass to Rhymes but it was intercepted by Jamal Peters. Hamilton took more time off the clock and the Redblacks had the ball for the final 23 seconds. Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli completed two passes for 30 yards to end the game. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats defeated the Ottawa Redblacks 37-21 to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Redblacks will have to wait another week to clinch a playoff spot.
Final Stats:
Hamilton had 434 yards on offense (299 yards passing, 135 yards rushing) 21 first downs, 2 for 3 in the red zone, and the team was penalized three times for 57 yards. Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell completed 20 of 27 passes (74%) for 299 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Running back Greg Bell had 15 carries for 99 yards, one touchdown, and two catches for 12 yards, while Ante Milanovic-Litre had 10 carries for 36 yards, one catch for 20 yards, and one touchdown.
Wide receiver Steven Dunbar Jr. made eight catches for 151 yards, and one touchdown, and Shemar Bridges made five catches for 55 yards. Kicker Marc Liegghio made 2 of 4 field goals with a long of 47 yards. Hamilton’s defense made 45 tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, three interceptions, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and seven tackles on special teams.
Ottawa had 438 yards on offense (347 yards passing, 96 yards rushing, 5 yards lost), 26 first downs, 2 for 3 in the red zone, and the team was penalized 10 times for 87 yards. Quarterback Dru Brown completed 17 of 27 passes (63%) for 164 yards, one interception, and one carry for three yards, and Jeremiah Masoli completed 13 of 19 passes (68.4%) for 183 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions, and one carry for one yard.
Running back Khalan Laborn had 13 carries for 84 yards and four catches for 9 yards. Wide receiver Dominique Rhymes made 10 catches for 129 yards, and one touchdown, and Justin Hardy made 8 catches for 103 yards. Kicker Lewis Ward made 2 of 2 field goals with a long of 30 yards. Ottawa’s defense made 46 tackles, one tackle for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and four tackles on special teams.
Next week, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats visit the Toronto Argonauts on Friday at 7 pm on TSN and CFL+, while the Ottawa Redblacks host the Montreal Alouettes on Saturday at 3 pm on CTV and CFL+. Subscribe to Fubo to watch all of the 2024 CFL Season. Purchase CFL tickets today on StubHub and Viagogo.
