For the third season in a row, a team from the West Division will cross over to play in the Eastern semifinal as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (8-10) host the B.C. Lions (9-9) at Tim Hortons Field on Sunday.
This is a matchup many wouldn’t have predicted at the start of the season considering both teams failed to qualify for the playoffs last season.
The Lions return to the post-season after their 20-year playoff streak came to an end in 2017 when they finished fifth in the West with a 7-11 record. Hamilton was unable to overcome an 0-8 start to the 2017 season, finishing third in the East with a 6-12 record and losing out on the final playoff spot to the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who crossed over from the West.
Now both teams will look to battle for a chance to play the Ottawa Redblacks in the Eastern final and book a ticket to the Grey Cup in Edmonton.
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Ticats have had their ups and downs this season, but a weaker East Division allowed Hamilton to clinch a playoff spot with a record below .500. Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli was the East’s nominee for Most Outstanding Player, completing 66.1 per cent of his passes for 5,209 yards, 28 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.
Unfortunately, the Tiger-Cats will be without their biggest weapon in Brandon Banks, who broke his clavicle in a loss to the Redblacks in October. The 30-year-old still managed to finish second in the CFL with 1,423 receiving yards and tied for the league lead with 11 receiving touchdowns.
Hamilton has struggled since Labour Day, going 3-5 down the stretch including three straight losses to end the season. That slump cost them an opportunity to clinch top spot in the East and that all-important bye week.
B.C. Lions
It was not a great start to the season for B.C. as they were 3-6 in the first half, but head coach Wally Buono rallied his team to a 6-3 finish over the second half and into the final playoff spot.
Both Travis Lulay and Jonathan Jennings led the way behind centre for the Lions, but Lulay was anointed starter after Jennings struggled in the early part of the season. It has been a tough road for the 35-year-old after a knee injury ended his 2017 season after six games.
The Lions clinched a berth to the post-season in a late-October win over the Edmonton Eskimos thanks to a three-touchdown game from wide receiver DeVier Posey, who signed after being cut by the Baltimore Ravens. The 2017 Grey Cup MVP was one of the many additions GM Ed Hervey made to bolster his roster, also acquiring Tyrell Sutton from Montreal and Shawn Lemon from Toronto.
While the story for Hamilton has been the players lost to injuries, B.C. is getting healthy at the right time with All-Star linebacker Solomon Elimimian making his return to the lineup from a wrist injury which he suffered back on July 14.
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STORYLINES TO FOLLOW
Can the cross-over team get the job done again?
The past two West teams to move to the East side of the bracket have won both meetings, with Edmonton beating Hamilton in 2016 and Saskatchewan winning in Ottawa last season.
B.C. has crossed over five times to the East Division. The last time was in 2014 against the Montreal Alouettes who won easily by a score of 50-17. The last time the Lions and Tiger-Cats went head-to-head in the playoffs was in 2009, as B.C. won in overtime 34-27 at Ivor Wynne Stadium.
Which team wins the grudge match?
Hamilton and B.C. split the season series, highlighted by the Lions earning a thrilling comeback win in overtime in the first meeting. Jennings threw a touchdown pass to Bryan Burnham and got the two-point convert attempt to send the game to extra time where Ty Long completed the comeback with a 39-yard field goal.
In the second game, Hamilton dominated B.C. at home as Masoli threw three touchdown passes in the first half. This game was filled with tension as members of the Lions were dancing on the Ticats logo during walkthrough the day before which wasn’t received well by Hamilton.
Final game for Buono?
The Hall of Fame coach and winningest coach in CFL history could be seeing his coaching career come to an end on Saturday. He has the second most playoff wins with 18 and has 23 appearances over his 25-year coaching career.