Matchup set: 106th Grey Cup playoffs ready for kickoff
TORONTO — Following an 81-game regular season, the 106th Grey Cup Playoff matchups are now set and will begin on Sunday, November 11 with the Eastern and Western Semi-Finals.
With the East division picture already clear, the Calgary Stampeders win over the BC Lions cemented the brackets in the West as they will await the winners of Winnipeg and Saskatchewan for a chance to go to the Grey Cup. Meanwhile, the Ottawa REDBLACKS will await the winners of BC and Hamilton to try and get to the big game.
The Eastern Semi-Final features West Division crossover team BC Lions visiting Tim Hortons Field to take on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. In the Western Semi-Final the Saskatchewan Roughriders will host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Mosaic Stadium.
Eastern Semi-Final Quick Hits
- Hamilton has hosted a home playoff game for the fifth time in six years.
- Hamilton owns a 27-17 (.614) home playoff record
- BC has a 11-23 (.324) road playoff record
- This is the fifth time BC has crossed over into the East Division (2014, 2009, 2003 and 1997).
- Hamilton hosted BC in 2009 at the Eastern Semi-Final where the Lions defeated the Tiger-Cats 34-27 in overtime.
- The two teams met twice this season in back-to-back weeks. In Week 15 BC completed a comeback to beat 35-32 in Vancouver. The following week Hamilton split the series by beating the Lions 40-10.
- The two teams met in the 73rd Grey Cup in Montreal (1985) where the Lions were victorious 37-24.
- BC Lions coach Wally Buono has 18 career playoff wins – second all-time behind Frank Clair (22). This will be the 23rd playoff appearance for Wally as a coach in 25 years coaching.
Western Semi-Final Quick Hits
- This marks the first-time Saskatchewan has hosted a playoff game since 2013 and the first playoff game at new Mosaic Stadium. The same year the Riders last hosted a playoff game was the year they last won the Grey Cup.
- Saskatchewan has a 23-26-1 (.588) home record in the playoffs.
- Winnipeg’s road record in the playoffs is 21-32 (.396)
- The last time the two teams met in the playoffs was in 2003 when Saskatchewan went on the road to Winnipeg and won 37-21.
- The team met in the regular season on three occasions. Week 12 saw the Roughriders win at home 31-23. Week 13 saw Saskatchewan sweep the home and home series following a 32-27 victory. In the final game Winnipeg shutout Saskatchewan 31-0 at Investors Group Field during Week 18.
The 106th Grey Cup presented by Shaw will take place on Sunday, November 25th at The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton. It will be the first Grey Cup hosted at Commonwealth since 2010.
