RedBlacks reach Grey Cup with thrilling takedown of the Tiger-Cats

Ottawa capped its three-game season sweep of Hamilton.

I am not one for predictions (although I do like a good Cinderella story), but regardless of how Sunday’s Grey Cup turns out, the Redblacks – thanks in no small part to Burris – have built a winning environment in which players want to play and one that fans want to experience. “There’s nothing that people can say or do to overcome that”.

“The whole thing’s a pretty cool deal when you think about it”, said Ottawa head coach Rick Campbell.

“It’s nice to play against my old team but it’s more about going to the Grey Cup and winning it”, Ellingson said. The Redblacks took the first two games – including a 44-28 home win November 7, en route to posting a 12-6 record to finish atop the East Division.

Ottawa Redblacks celebrate after defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Canadian Football League East final, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in Ottawa, Ontario.

“Sometimes maybe it’s just your destiny that you get there, and it sure seemed like that today”.

“We do the dirty work and we let those guys go out and do what they do which is run around and make plays”, said Rogers.

He held his own and more in a dual with one of the CFL’s top veteran QBs, Henry Burris, who was 17 of 32 for 326 yards and one touchdown, with no interceptions. Edmonton hasn’t been to the game or won it since 2005, while Ottawa hasn’t appeared in the game since 1981 and hasn’t won it since 1976.

“You’re going to get to be the CFL athlete and do everything that athletes do”, Miller said of one of the fan displays. “We wanted to get some type of real estate there”.

Ellingson was born seven years after the Ottawa Rough Riders’ last Grey Cup appearance.

And as the team celebrated their win on the field, toques were flying, horns were blaring, noise makers were spinning, and the shouting was incessant – the throats of many fans were hoarse but they didn’t care.

“What happened to me in Saskatchewan, Calgary and Hamilton, it added a chip on my shoulder”, he continued.

“I was only 10 and I’ll be rooting for the Ottawa team this time”.

The Redblacks and Tiger-Cats meet Sunday in the East Division final but Burris remained steadfast when speaking to reporters Saturday.

While the REDBLACKS look to continue their storybook season, the Ticats hope to flip the script. They were the class of the CFL through the first half of the season but a season-ending ACL injury to Zach Collaros provided a challenging setback.

Masoli is on the other end of the spectrum from Burris, a future Hall of Famer, but is gaining confidence after rallying the Ticats to a thrilling 25-22 Eastern Semi-Final victory over the Argos.

“Every loss is difficult-especially a game you had a chance to win”. “When the game’s bigger, he’s going to rise to the occasion”. “Whoever thought we could complete this in two years?” In comparison the other teams in the league started an average of 9.5 players on the line.

Overall, the Hamilton defence didn’t provide a single turnover. Burris and Ellingson were both teammates in Steeltown in 2013. Zack has seen a lot more field time, his father said while pointing to Zack’s 66-yard touchdown this season.