This is it. The day is here. And by the end of it we will know the identity of the 104th Grey Cup champion: The Calgary Stampeders or the Ottawa Redblacks.
Until then, however, we can only make educated guesses—which is exactly what we intend to do. Our expert CFL panel has stepped up with picks on not only the champion, but also the major award winners.
The panel includes BC Lions quarterback and 2011 Grey Cup most valuable player Travis Lulay, Sportsnet reporter Arash Madani, senior writer Kristina Rutherford and staff writers Donnovan Bennett and Mike Johnston.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
LULAY: No surprise here. The 2016 MOP, Bo Levi Mitchell, will finish off the year with a bang and be awarded the Grey Cup MVP. Besides, long-time CFL sports psych Frank Lodato says they always default to the winning QB.
MADANI: Charleston Hughes. Ottawa’s biggest challenge will be finding a way to slow down Calgary’s pass rushers off the edge. There’s no better one in this game than the veteran Stamps defensive end. Ottawa will try to bump, chip and disrupt him, but a two-sack night, where he helps shut down the Redblacks run game—and force a fumble—will be enough for him to become a surprise Grey Cup MVP winner.
RUTHERFORD: How do you bet against the red-headed Stampeders QB who just days ago was unanimously named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player? I can’t do it. Bo Levi Mitchell for the win, again.
BENNETT: Bo Levi Mitchell. He’s at the sweet spot in his career where his aptitude meets his athleticism. Not since Doug Flutie have we seen a player play at such a level with relative ease. Mitchell finishes off a dream weekend with three trophies to add to his collection of honours.
JOHNSTON: DaVaris Daniels. Fresh off his Outstanding Rookie win, I expect Daniels to continue his hot streak. He had a touchdown in his lone game against Ottawa this year and was terrific in his only appearance at BMO Field. Had he played a full 18 games he would have been on pace for more than 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns.
MOST VALUABLE CANADIAN
LULAY: Anthony Parker. Not the obvious pick of Jerome Messam, but fellow Canadian WR Lemar Durant figured heavily in the West Final. This week could be Anthony Parker’s turn.
MADANI: Hard to believe that not long ago Jerome Messam was sitting at home with no job, no team, no opportunity. Now he returns home—not far from where he grew up in Brampton—as the featured back for the Stamps. Calgary is a team committed to the run game. Messam will shine as a final reminder to every CFL general manager that they all could have had him for next-to-nothing in 2014.
RUTHERFORD: Anthony Parker. The Alberta-born wide receiver is going to be amped up to win his second Grey Cup. Did you know his dad, who he’s named after, also played for the Stampeders? So did his uncle Andy. Parker is going to have a big night in Toronto.
BENNETT: Jerome Messam. In an effort to limit the Stampeders’ passing attack, Ottawa will have to drop linebackers into coverage. Messam against a light box and undersized defence means he rumbles for big yards in his hometown.
JOHNSTON: Brad Sinopoli. The easy pick here is Messam, but in speaking with the group of Redblacks receivers this week I’ve got the feeling Sinopoli is going to come up with several clutch catches, break some tackles and find the end zone.
GREY CUP CHAMPION
LULAY: Calgary Stampeders. Ottawa gives a scare to Calgary at some point during the game, but in the end the Stamps win by two scores. Ottawa’s A game would beat Calgary’s B game, but Calgary rarely forgets to bring the A game.
MADANI: Calgary Stampeders. The coronation of the latest CFL dynasty will be complete. A 15-win season and a championship in 2014, the same on Sunday. Stampeders win 33–20.
RUTHERFORD: Calgary Stampeders.Calgary was riding a 16-game winning streak before losing to Montreal in the season finale, a game that meant nothing, and Mitchell didn’t even play. As much as I love a good underdog story, you’d be crazy to bet against the Stampeders. Final score: 34-17, Calgary.
BENNETT: Calgary Stampeders. Too deep. Too balanced. They have no apparent weakness. They have guys who can’t get in on special teams yet would play big roles for other franchises. Most importantly they are well coached and don’t beat themselves. The Stampeders have been holding back offensive formations and defensive-pressure packages for months. They get to unleash all of their best on Sunday in a bid to put the cherry on top of one of the best seasons in CFL history.
JOHNSTON: Calgary Stampeders win it 37–32. With two high-octane offences there should be no shortage of big plays in this one. Calgary often gets out to early leads and I expect they’ll do that again but Ottawa will battle back with a valiant and exciting second half comeback that puts the Stamps on their heels.