The Toronto Argonauts have defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers by a score of 41-24 to win the 111th Grey Cup.
Nick Arbuckle was named the game’s Most Valuable Player after making the start in place of injured starter Chad Kelly. He completed 26-of-37 passes for 252 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions in the victory. Receiver Dejon Brissett was awarded the Most Valuable Canadian award after catching three passes for 45 yards and a touchdown.
The Toronto defence picked off Winnipeg QB Zach Collaros four times, including one returned for a touchdown, to upset the 8.5-point betting favourites. The 2021 Grey Cup MVP finished 15-of-30 for 202 yards in the loss.
After Janarion Grant put the Argos in solid field position on their opening drive, Toronto marched down to the goal line thanks to a heavy dose of Ka’Deem Carey and a 29-yard checkdown scamper from Deonta McMahon. However, Winnipeg held firm at the one-yard-line and head coach Ryan Dinwiddie opted for a chip-shot field goal after a time-count violation rather than rolling the dice on third down.
The Bombers offence opened with consecutive two-and-outs but finally woke up late in the first quarter, as Zach Collaros found rookie receiver Ontaria Wilson streaking down the right side for a 49-yard gain. Three plays later, short-yardage quarterback Terry Wilson pushed into the end zone for an early go-ahead touchdown. Brady Oliveira kicked off the Bombers’ next scoring drive with a 17-yard run early in the second quarter before Kenny Lawler hauled in a 22-yard catch over the middle. Collaros again found a wide-open Ontaria Wilson for a 27-yard gain but could go no further after a Robbie Smith sack, setting up a 20-yard field goal from Sergio Castillo.
The Argos responded with big completions to Makai Polk and Damonte Coxie on the subsequent drive, both taking advantage of Deatrick Nichols in coverage. A timely sack from Willie Jefferson held Toronto to a field goal late in the frame but Benjie Franklin made an acrobatic interception to steal the ball right back, allowing Lirim Hajrullahu to hit a third kick before the intermission and cut the lead to one.
Punter John Haggerty tied things up with a rouge on the first drive of the second half and the Argos capitalized on another punt minutes later, as linebacker Fraser Sopik flew down on special teams and stripped the ball out of the hands of Winnipeg returner Lucky Whitehead. Jack Cassar pounced on the loose ball and Nick Arbuckle found Canadian rookie Kevin Mital on a screen pass one play later for a 17-yard touchdown — the first of his CFL career.
Toronto’s luck didn’t seem to last as an overthrown deep ball from Arbuckle later in the frame resulted in an interception from Terrell Bonds. Oliveira burst through for a 35-yard gain in the next play, setting up a 40-yard Castillo field goal. Things appeared to get worse on the next possession when Michael Ayers burst through to block the Haggerty punt deep in the Argos’ end, but Kyrie Wilson was flagged for illegal interference on the recovery and gave Toronto a free first down. That fresh life lasted all of two plays as Willie Jefferson leapt up to intercept Arbuckle and put the Bombers in scoring position.
Unfortunately for Winnipeg, Collaros was forced from the previous drive with an apparent cut to his throwing hand and retreated to the locker room. Thrust into action, Terry Wilson was nearly picked on one throw to the end zone and missed on another, leading to another short Castillo kick.
Breathing a sigh of relief, the Argos got a pair of solid runs from Carey to move the sticks, then found another first courtesy of a shovel pass to McMahon. Arbuckle turned a rare scramble into another fresh set of downs, then found Dejon Brissett with a 17-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to eight points.
Collaros returned on the next series but tried to do too much while making up for lost time, throwing an interception to DaShaun Amos on his very first pass. A Toronto convoy returned the stolen ball back 45 yards into the red zone and a misconduct penalty made it first-and-goal but the Bombers’ defence held firm, forcing another short field goal. Their own defence would make up for it, as Robert Priester picked off Collaros on Winnipeg’s subsequent drive and returned it 61 yards for a touchdown — the second-longest pick-six in Grey Cup history.
Wynton McManis snagged another interception on the next drive and ran it back 58 yards to set up a Ka’Deem Carey touchdown run to seal the victory. Winnipeg added a late touchdown courtesy of Oliveira but it would not prevent an inevitable third-straight championship loss.
This is the Toronto Argonauts’ 19th Grey Cup title — the most of any CFL franchise. They have won twice in the last three years, also defeating the Bombers in 2022.
The 112th Grey Cup is scheduled to be played next year at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg, Man.
