The Hamilton Tiger-Cats (5-9) visited BMO Field on Friday night against the Toronto Argonauts (7-7) for the third and final meeting of the season. Hamilton won the first two meetings and Toronto was looking to avoid the season sweep. This game was not easy for Hamilton and it came down to the final play.
First Quarter:
Toronto got the ball to start the game on their 39-yard line. Toronto went with running backs Ka’Deem Carey, Daniel Adeboboye, and Deonte McMahon who combined with four carries logging 29 yards before the drive stalled. Kicker Lirim Hajrullahu made a 49-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead with 11:43 left.
On Hamilton’s first drive of the game, quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell completed three passes for 25 yards to reach the Argonauts’ 45-yard line. On the next four plays, Mitchell, James Butler, and Ante Milanovic-Litre combined with four carries logging 21 yards to the Argonauts’ 24-yard line. Then, Mitchell completed one pass for 9 yards to Shemar Bridges before the drive stalled. Kicker Marc Liegghio made a 22-yard field goal and the game was tied 3-3 with 5:31 left of the first quarter.
On Toronto’s next series, they continued to use the running game with Ka’Deem Carey and Deonte McMahan combining with four carries logging 31 yards, and quarterback Chad Kelly had a carry for one yard to reach the Ticats’ 38-yard line. Kicker Lirim Hajrullahu missed a 44-yard field goal that hit the left upright.
Hamilton had the ball for the final 1:27 left of the first quarter. Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell threw two passes for 25 yards to reach their 54-yard line as the first quarter came to an end still tied 3-3.
Hamilton had 79 yards on offense (59 yards passing, 20 yards rushing) six first downs, 0 for 1 in the red zone, and the team had no penalties. Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell completed 6 of 9 passes for 59 yards. Toronto had 61 yards on offense (0 yards passing, 61 yards rushing), four first downs, no red zone opportunities, and the team had no penalties. Quarterback Chad Kelly was 0 for 4 in passes, and one carry for one yard.
Second Quarter:
In the second quarter, Hamilton’s drive stalled and they punted the ball back to Toronto with 12:59 left. Hamilton’s defense quickly got the ball back when Toronto quarterback Chad Kelly’s pass intended for Richie Sindani was intercepted by Stavros Katsantonis and he returned it 19 yards to reach the Argonauts’ 19-yard line.
Hamilton running back James Butler started the next drive with a three-yard run. Next, quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell threw a deep pass intended for Steven Dunbar Jr. in the end zone but he missed the catch. However, a roughing the passer penalty on Toronto defensive lineman Derek Parish placed the ball on the Argonauts’ 8-yard line.
On the next play, quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Jevoni Robinson for a 10-3 lead with 10:52 left of the second quarter capping off a three-play drive for 19 yards.
Toronto started their next drive on their 23-yard line. Quarterback Chad Kelly and company led the offense down to the Ticats’ three-yard line. Then, Chad Kelly could not find anyone open and took off fighting two Hamilton players to score a three-yard touchdown, and the game was tied 10-10 with 5:32 left before halftime capping off a nine-play drive for 87 yards.
Hamilton quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell threw one pass for Kiondre Smith for 37 yards to reach the Argonauts’ 48-yard line. Hamilton started going backward when Mitchell was sacked by Jake Ceresna for a 7-yard loss and the drive stalled on their 55-yard line.
Hamilton punter Nik Constantinou punted the ball 55 yards that bounced into the end zone and Toronto returner David Ungerer III conceded the single point. It was now 11-10 Hamilton with 3:34 left before halftime.
Toronto running back Ka’Deem Carey started the next drive with two carries for 16 yards, and quarterback Chad Kelly threw a 28-yard pass to Makai Polk to reach the Ticats’ 26-yard line. Toronto made it to the Ticats’ 14-yard line before Kelly threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Makai Polk. They successfully converted a two-point play to take an 18-11 lead with 1:33 left before halftime capping off a seven-play drive for 70 yards.
Hamilton quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell threw three passes for 49 yards to reach the Argonauts’ 24-yard line. On the next play, Mitchell threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Kiondre Smith but a face mask penalty on Brendan Bordner took away the touchdown. Bordner would get called again for a procedure penalty and kicker Marc Liegghio made a 45-yard field goal. Hamilton trailed Toronto 18-14 at halftime.
First Half Stats:
Toronto had 226 yards on offense (133 yards passing, 93 yards rushing), 14 first downs, 2 for 2 in the red zone, and the team was penalized two times for 18 yards. Quarterback Chad Kelly completed 10 of 14 passes 71.4%) for 133 yards, one touchdown, one interception, three carries for seven yards, and one touchdown. Running back Ka’Deem Carey had seven carries for 65 yards.
Wide receiver DaVaris Daniels made two catches for 46 yards, and Makai Polk made two catches for 42 yards and one touchdown. Toronto’s defense made one sack and one tackle for loss.
Hamilton had 187 yards on offense (165 yards passing, 29 yards rushing, 7 yards lost), 12 first downs, 1 for 2 in the red zone, and the team was penalized four times for 35 yards. Hamilton’s defense had one interception.
Third Quarter:
Hamilton got the ball on their 33-yard line to begin the third quarter. Hamilton running back James Butler lost a yard and the Ticats went two-and-out. On Toronto’s first drive of the third quarter, quarterback Chad Kelly threw two passes for 11 yards and Daniel Adeboboye rushed for four yards to reach the Ticats’ 35-yard line before the drive stalled.
Hamilton’s offense was back out on the field from their 34-yard line. Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell threw two passes for 29 yards to reach the Argonauts’ 47-yard line. On the next play, Mitchell threw a pass to Shemar Bridges, who took it for a 47-yard touchdown. However, the command center found that Bridges stepped out of the bounds on the Argonauts’ three-yard line.
Hamilton finished the drive when Ante Milanovic-Litre scored a three-yard touchdown and Hamilton took a 21-18 lead with 9:49 left of the third quarter capping off a four-play drive for 76 yards in a minute and fourteen seconds.
Hamilton’s defense made quick work to Toronto’s offense when Mario Kendricks sacked Chad Kelly for a 6-yard loss on second down. Hamilton’s offense got the ball on the Argonauts’ 51-yard line with 7:35 left of the third quarter.
Hamilton’s offense moved the ball to the Ticats’ one-yard line. After two failed attempts to score a touchdown, Mitchell handed the ball off to Ante Milanovic-Litre but he was stopped short of the end zone. Then, Toronto was called for an offsides penalty.
Hamilton ran the same running play two more times before kicker Marc Liegghio kicked a 10-yard field goal for a 24-18 lead with 38 seconds left of the third quarter. Toronto quarterback Chad Kelly threw two passes for 21 yards to reach the Ticats’ 49-yard line to end the third quarter down 24-18.
Fourth Quarter:
In the fourth quarter, Toronto made it to the Ticats’ 16-yard line before kicker Lirim Hajrullahu made a 43-yard field goal and the Argonauts trailed the Ticats 24-21 with 13:18 left of the game.
Hamilton’s offense marched down the field for an eight-play drive for 52 yards that ended when kicker Marc Liegghio made a 25-yard field goal for a 27-21 lead with 7:25 left of the game.
Toronto quarterback Chad Kelly began the next drive throwing a 66-yard pass to DaVaris Daniels to reach the Ticats’ four-yard line. Running back Daniel Adeboboye got them closer with a two-yard run before Kelly scored a one-yard touchdown for a 28-27 lead with 5:38 left of the game capping off a three-play drive for 70 yards.
Hamilton’s offense started on their 34-yard line. They went on a seven-play drive for 68 yards before kicker Marc Liegghio made a 15-yard field goal for a 30-28 lead with 2:10 left of the game. Toronto came back on a six-play drive for 64 yards before kicker Lirim Hajrullahu made a 29-yard field goal for a 31-30 lead with 56 seconds left.
Hamilton had one more shot to win the game. Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell threw six passes for 35 yards to reach the Argonauts’ 40-yard line with 12 seconds left. Kicker Marc Liegghio kicked the game-winning 48-yard field goal down the middle with no time left on the clock and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats defeated the Toronto Argonauts 33-31 to keep their playoff hopes alive and sweep Toronto in the regular season.
Final Stats:
Hamilton had 431 yards on offense (362 yards passing, 85 yards rushing, 16 yards lost), 30 first downs, 2 for 6 in the red zone, and the team was penalized five times for 50 yards. Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell completed 31 of 40 passes (78%) for 362 yards, one touchdown, and three carries for 19 yards. Running back James Butler had 11 carries for 58 yards and six catches for 44 yards.
Wide receiver Shemar Bridgers made six catches for 82 yards, and Jevoni Robinson made four catches for 49 yards and one touchdown Kicker Marc Liegghio made 6 of 6 field goals with a long of 48 yards. Hamilton’s defense made 35 tackles, one sack, one interception, and five tackles on special teams.
Toronto had 388 yards on offense (255 yards passing, 139 yards rushing, 6 yards lost), 23 first downs, 3 for 3 in the red zone, and the team was penalized 8 times for 82 yards. Quarterback Chad Kelly completed 17 of 26 passes (65.4%) for 255 yards, one touchdown, one interception, five carries for 19 yards, and two touchdowns. Running back Ka’Deem Carey had 7 carries for 65 yards.
Wide receiver DaVaris Daniels made four catches for 118 yards, and Makai Polk made two catches for 42 yards and one touchdown. Kicker Lirim Hajrullahu made 3 of 4 field goals with a long of 49 yards. Toronto’s defense made 52 tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks, and four tackles on special teams.
Next week, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats visit the B.C. Lions on Friday at 10:30 pm on TSN and CFL+, while the Toronto Argonauts host the Montreal Alouettes on Saturday a 7 pm on TSN and CFL+. Subscribe to Fubo to watch all of the 2024 CFL Season. Purchase CFL tickets today on StubHub and Viagogo.
