The Edmonton Eskimos will play the Ottawa Redblacks next Sunday in Winnipeg for the C-F-L championship. The organization was resurrected as the Renegades in 2002 but only lasted four seasons before coming back as the Redblacks in 2014.
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The Campbell clan: It’s remarkable enough that Ottawa’s Rick Campbell has made it to the Grey Cup in just his second season as a head coach, but it’s even more interesting that he’s up against Edmonton, a team that has deep meaning to both himself and his family. “We’re happy about yesterday and that was an exciting day for all of us… but there’s one more game to play and my message to [the team] is, if you find a way to win one more game you’ll remember it forever”, he said.
The last time an Ottawa team was in the Grey Cup was 1981, when the Rough Riders lost to the Eskimos 26-23. A two-point convert made it 8-0.
The Stampeders then got on the board with a 44 yard field goal from Rene Parades at the 4:20 mark of the 1st, to cut the lead to 8-3. Bowman outraced the defender to the pylon for the score. On this one, he threw to Kenny Stafford, all alone in the middle of the field, and Stafford had nothing but field, which he took advantage of as he scooted 33 yards into the end zone.
Whyte added a 31-yard field goal to up the lead to 31-12.
The Eskimos got the ball right back on an interception by linebacker Dexter McCoil.
Calgary fought back with two late touchdown passes from Mitchell to receivers Eric Rogers and Joe West. But while his big play in the closing minutes helped erase decades of football frustration for the city of Ottawa, Burris says the team needs to start looking forward quickly. “I’m glad they did that stuff, because without that, I don’t know if we would have grown up, but we have now”.
The Eskimos last went to the title game in 2005, beating Montreal in overtime. Edmonton won 27-16 and 15-11 and lost 16-7 in the regular season.
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Calgary Stampeders’ Skye Dawson, left, tries to get past Edmonton Eskimos’ Calvin McCarty during the first half of the Canadian Football League’s West Division final in Edmonton, Alberta, on Sunday, November 22, 2015.
