Edmonton Eskimos win 14th Grey Cup title, beating Ottawa Redblacks 26-20

Reilly was selected the most valuable player of the game.

“I had been in the league for half a season before 2011 and when we got to the Grey Cup and win it you just kind of assume that’s just how it is, it’s not hard to get there”, Reilly said. “We’ve been built to do this multiple times and it’s on us to make sure that that happens”. They scored on the opening drive of the game, then got the ball right back when Kendial Lawrence fumbled the ensuing kick off. Ottawa followed up with another major but missed the extra point.

Lynch, the former Northern Illinois star in his rookie season with Eskimos, scored on a third-down play in a 20-degree chill.

The scoring screeched to a halt in the second quarter as a Redblacks field goal and an Eskimos single put the game at 16-11 in the final minutes.

Shavers’ first touchdown of the game capped off a 10-play, 88-yard drive by the Eskimos. He had 45 total tackles in his third season, including one sack. A successful two-point conversion put the Eskimos up by six. It was the fourth time the CFL title game was played in Manitoba, and the first since 2006.

The win was Reilly’s 10 straight to end the 2015 season after returning from injury – the Eskimos last lost on Labour Day – and completes a remarkable turnaround for a franchise that was just 4-14 two years ago.

Defensive back Jerrell Gavins (No. 24, Boise State) is inactive for this game.

He had 123 rushing yards during his first three games (including the West Division final) but impressed the Eskimos’ coaching staff with his knowledge of his blocking assignments. Edmonton took a 17-16 lead on Reilly’s 2-yard pass to Shavers with 12 seconds left in the half.

The heralded Edmonton defence is influenced by head coach and defensive guru Chris Jones and led up front by one of the most outgoing characters in the league, defensive end Odell Willis.

Patrick Lavoie and Earnest Jackson had Ottawa’s touchdowns.

Edmonton responded with a 25-yard Sean Whyte field goal, then got a Burris interception on a frightful under-throw and turned that into points as well, with Mike Reilly connecting with Adarius Bowman for the score.