Hamilton @ Ottawa preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 18, 2017 ) Ottawa 37, Hamilton 18

The Ottawa Redblacks look to continue their mid-season surge when they host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday. It was less than a month ago when the Redblacks were on the outside looking in at a playoff spot, but the defending Grey Cup champions have rattled off three consecutive wins and are coming off a dominant 32-4 victory against the Montreal Alouettes in Week 11 to vault into first place in the East Division.

Ottawa has won four of the last five meetings with the Tiger-Cats, including a convincing 37-18 triumph Aug. 18, and can open up a three point lead at the top of the division with a victory and the Toronto Argonauts on a bye. Hamilton edged past Toronto 24-22 in a rain-soaked Labour Day Classic, which was delayed two hours because of lightning, to earn its first win of the season. Jeremiah Masoli replaced the struggling Zach Collaros as the starter and the former Oregon Ducks quarterback came through in the clutch as the Tiger-Cats scored 21 second-half points to hand coach June Jones a win in his CFL debut. "I was proud of our team and the way we battled back," Masoli told reporters. "We should step on the gas and work even harder now that we have a win and we're still in it."

TV: 6 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS2, ESPN3

ABOUT THE TIGER-CATS (1-8): Masoli overcame a sluggish start to throw for 219 yards and touchdown against Toronto. Running back Mercer Timmis was one of four Hamilton players added to the six-game injured list after suffering a serious ankle injury in the fourth quarter against the Argonauts while defensive back Courtney Stephen missed practice Wednesday and is questionable for Saturday. The Tiger-Cats added six players to their roster in light of their injury crisis, most notably defensive end Ben D'Aguilar, who made 54 appearances in five seasons with the Calgary Stampeders.

ABOUT THE REDBLACKS (4-6-1): Trevor Harris continues to shred opposing defences as he threw for 343 yards and three touchdowns against Montreal despite nursing a hand injury. Greg Ellingson caught four passes for 89 yards and a touchdown to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for the third consecutive season and Mossis Madu Jr. accumulated 109 yards from scrimmage deputizing for an injured William Powell. "It's nice to have a team that has faith in you and trusts in you to give you the ball and make plays," Ellingson told reporters. "We're all about putting ourselves in a position to win a Grey Cup here in Ottawa."

EXTRA POINTS

1. Ottawa has scored more than 30 points in each of its last three games.

2. Harris leads the CFL in passing yards (3,531) and passing touchdowns (22).

3. Hamilton is averaging a league-low 19.1 points.

PREDICTION: Redblacks 35, Tiger-Cats 20