Hamilton @ Winnipeg preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 29, 2018 ) Winnipeg 17, Hamilton 31

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats look to build off their impressive Week 8 victory when they visit the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday. The Tiger-Cats routed the Montreal Alouettes 50-11 to spoil Johnny Manziel's first CFL start and hope to claw their way back to .500 while gaining more ground on the Ottawa Redblacks in the race for the East Division title.

Hamilton won the first meeting with Winnipeg 31-17 on June 29 and can move into a first-place tie with the Redblacks by completing its first season sweep of the Blue Bombers since 2015. Winnipeg won back-to-back games against the Toronto Argonauts before a week off robbed them of their momentum. The Blue Bombers have won three of their last four contests, including an impressive 40-14 victory over the Argonauts on July 27, and aim to keep rolling by winning their third consecutive home game. Winnipeg leads the league in points (34.1), rushing yards (161.6) and rushing touchdowns (1.7) per game and hopes the offence keeps clicking as it searches for its first home victory against the Tiger-Cats in more than two years.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, TSN, ESPN Plus

ABOUT THE TIGER-CATS (3-4): Jeremiah Masoli threw for 300 yards and a pair of touchdowns to help Hamilton end a three-game skid while Brandon Banks caught five passes for 114 yards and a TD to go over 100 yards receiving for the fifth time in his last six games. "It was good to get back on track as it felt like the normal us out there," Masoli told reporters. "We were just fed up with it, watching the film and we're putting up all these yards and not putting up the points." Defensive end Justin Vaughn was placed on the six-game injured list after suffering an undisclosed knock in the fourth quarter against Montreal while defensive back/kick returner Frankie Williams is questionable for Friday's clash after taking a hard hit on a kick return.

ABOUT THE BLUE BOMBERS (4-3): Matt Nichols threw for 253 yards and two touchdowns against Toronto while Weston Dressler extended his streak of games with at least one reception to 119, which is the eighth-longest in CFL history. Defensive back Chandler Fenner returned to practice and is expected to play Friday after missing the previous three games with a leg injury while running back Timothy Flanders could make his season debut following a stint on the six-game injured list. "It's exciting as the amount of depth we have now is very healthy," Winnipeg coach Mike O'Shea told reporters. "Where everyone fits in remains to be seen but I'm very excited about the depth and the opportunity other guys have gotten."

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Blue Bombers have scored 40 or more points three times in 2018.

2. Masoli has thrown for at least 300 yards in 11 of his past 12 games.

3. Winnipeg RB Andrew Harris leads the league in rushing yards (638).

PREDICTION: Blue Bombers 35, Tiger-Cats 33