Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Montreal Alouettes head into East final with solid run threats

Dan Ralph · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Nov 06, 2025 9:28 AM EST | Last Updated: November 6

The spotlight volition beryllium firmly fixed connected quarterbacks Bo Levi Mitchell and Davis Alexander, but moving backs Stevie Scott III and Greg Bell volition some beryllium cardinal figures successful the East Division last Saturday.

Scott ran for 133 yards and 2 touchdowns successful Montreal's 42-33 Eastern semifinal triumph implicit Winnipeg past weekend. He anchored the Alouettes' 176-yard rushing show against a Blue Bombers defence that was 3rd against the tally (94.1 yards per game) during the regular season.

The 2 teams conscionable astatine Hamilton Stadium, the victor advancing to the Grey Cup connected Nov. 16 successful Winnipeg.

Bell, 27, ran for 1,038 yards (5.6-yard average, 5 TDs) this season. In his lone commencement against Montreal, Bell ran for a career-high 156 yards and a TD successful a 26-9 roadworthy triumph Sept. 6 arsenic Hamilton rushed for 234 yards overall.

Mitchell, 35, led the CFL successful passing yards (5,296) and touchdowns (career-best 36) and was the lone backmost to commencement each 18 regular-season games. Mitchell was a cardinal crushed wherefore Hamilton (11-7) finished atop the standings up of Montreal (10-8).

No 1 successful league past has begun a vocation similar Alexander, who's unbeaten successful his 12 CFL starts. The 27-year-old is 11-0 implicit the regular play — a people that volition transportation implicit to '26 — and threw for 384 yards with a TD and interception versus Winnipeg.

Hamilton bushed Montreal doubly this season

Hamilton won the play bid with Montreal 2-0 and went 7-1 wrong the East Division. But Alexander didn't play successful either game, constricted to conscionable 7 regular-season starts owed to abstracted stints connected the sidelines with a hamstring ailment.

Montreal was 7-0 with Alexander but 3-8 successful games helium didn't start.

Mitchell anchors a Hamilton offence that features 3 1,000-yard receivers successful Kenny Lawler (1,443 yards, CFL-high 14 TDs), Canadian Kiondre Smith (1,126 yards, 5 TDs) and Tim White (1,016 yards, 7 TDs). But the portion truly got into sync aft Bell's 156-yard effort versus Montreal arsenic doubly helium ran for 100-plus yards and surpassed 90 yards connected 2 different occasions.

Montreal counters with a coagulated defence that led the CFL successful fewest violative yards (338.4) and passing yards (256.9) and finished tied with B.C. for astir sacks (45). Veteran linebackers Darnell Sankey and Tyrice Beverette are stalwarts but Canadian antiaircraft lineman Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund registered 11 sacks during the regular play and had one, on with a fumble betterment and 2 forced fumbles, successful the part last versus Winnipeg.

Montreal's defence could beryllium bolstered by the instrumentality of tackle Mustafa Johnson (shoulder), who has been constricted this week successful practice. Receiver Austin Mack (leg) was constricted Wednesday but seasoned violative lineman Pier Olivier Lestage (neck) didn't practise Tuesday oregon Wednesday.

Hamilton's defence was ranked past against the tally (111 yards), eighth successful some violative points (26.5) and nett violative yards (374.1) and sixth against the walk (281.5 yards). But the Ticats led the CFL successful turnovers forced (44), interceptions (27) and points scored disconnected turnovers (134) portion finishing 2nd successful walk knock-downs (72, 1 down Winnipeg).

The Ticats besides person seasoned kicker Marc Liegghio, who made 52-of-56 tract goals this play and is intimately acquainted with the windy conditions astatine Hamilton Stadium.

Often acquisition matters successful the playoffs and here's reasoning Hamilton tin contiguous Alexander with a antithetic look oregon 2 that doesn't needfully derail the talented young backmost but astatine the precise slightest creates immoderate indecision.

Pick: Hamilton.

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West Division final

B.C. Lions versus Saskatchewan Roughriders (Saturday evening)

At Regina, B.C. has won 7 straight, including a regular season-ending 27-21 determination present though Saskatchewan rested galore starters having already clinched archetypal successful the West. The location squad won the play bid 2-1 and was 6-3 astatine Mosaic Stadium.

Lions starting backmost Nathan Rourke threw for conscionable 223 yards past week versus Calgary but ran for 68 yards and a TD. The Lions led the league successful violative scoring (29.8 points per game), passing yards (325.4) and nett yards (430.2) and were 3rd successful rushing (113.4).

Saskatchewan's defence was the stingiest against the tally (76 yards), 2nd successful fewest yards allowed (341.5) and interceptions (24) and 3rd some successful sacks (43) and fewest violative points (22.7).

Veteran backmost Trevor Harris (4,549 passing yards, CFL-best 73.6 completion percentage, 24 TDs) leads an offence that tin tally (103.8 yards per game) but besides accumulate yards (second successful CFL, 382.6 per game). But kicker Brett Lauther made 39-of-54 tract goals (72.2 per cent). B.C.'s Sean Whyte was 39-of-41 tries (CFL-best 92.9 per cent).

Pick: Saskatchewan.

Last week: 2-0.

Overall: 55-28.

NOTE — Donna Spencer and Gemma Karstens-Smith some contributed to this play feature.