Hamilton @ Ottawa preview
TD Place Stadium
Last Meeting ( Jul 28, 2018 ) Ottawa 21, Hamilton 15
The Ottawa Redblacks host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the first game of a home-and-home set Friday that will decide the winner of the East Division. The Redblacks have held the division lead since late July but have dropped back-to-back games, including a 34-16 loss to the Edmonton Eskimos in Week 18, and hope to regain sole possession of first place by earning the all-important tiebreaker against Hamilton after a 21-15 victory July 28.
"We have a three-game season left and if we win two then we get first place," Ottawa coach Rick Campbell told reporters. "It's not an awful situation." The Tiger-Cats are peaking at the right time as they have won five of their last seven games, including two straight victories over the BC Lions (40-10) and the Toronto Argonauts (34-20) to catch the Redblacks. Hamilton's offence has put up an average of 34 points over its last five games and Jeremiah Masoli, who has thrown nine touchdown passes in his last three outings, hopes to stay red hot by leading the Tiger-Cats to their fifth consecutive win against an East Division rival. "We definitely have some momentum and some good mojo going," Masoli told reporters. "We're gelling right now and we're clicking."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN
ABOUT THE TIGER-CATS (8-7): Masoli completed 21-of-30 passes for 338 yards and four touchdowns against Toronto to register his 11th 300-yard game of the season, which is three shy of the CFL record set by Doug Flutie in 1991. Brandon Banks hauled in eight passes for 178 yards and a touchdown against the Argonauts to register his league-leading ninth 100-yard receiving game while Luke Tasker caught three TDs for the first time in his six-year career. Hamilton signed wide receiver Terrell Sinkfield, who spent two seasons with the Tiger-Cats from 2014-15, with Jalen Saunders (knee), Chris Williams (Achilles) and Terrence Toliver (undisclosed) all sidelined with injuries.
ABOUT THE REDBLACKS (8-7): Trevor Harris went 21-of-26 for 291 yards and a touchdown, which was the 100th TD pass of his career while Brad Sinopoli gained 50 yards on six catches against the Eskimos to surpass 100 receptions for the first time in eight CFL seasons. Defensive back Randall Evans (leg injury) and linebacker Avery Williams (undisclosed) were injured in the first half against Edmonton and their status is unknown for Friday. Rookie kicker Lewis Ward has made 43 straight field goals, which is one shy of the professional football record set by Adam Vinatieri of the Indianapolis Colts.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Ottawa has won six of the last eight meetings.
2. Banks has caught seven touchdown passes in his last four games.
3. Redblacks RB William Powell leads the league in rushing (1,275).
PREDICTION: Tiger-Cats 31, Redblacks 25