There’s much more on the line for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts than just Labour Day bragging rights.
Hamilton (4-8) hosts Toronto (5-6) on Monday in the last regular-season meeting between the two teams. The Ticats and Argos split the previous two contests.
The winner captures the Harold Ballard Trophy and clinches the season series, the tiebreaker should the two end the year tied.
A win would move Toronto four points ahead of Hamilton in the battle for second in the East Division, with a game in hand. Conversely, the Ticats can assume the No. 2 spot with their fourth home victory of the campaign.
But a loss would leave Hamilton with just five regular-season games to move ahead of Toronto. Given how tight the West Division standings are and Montreal (9-2) being comfortably ahead in the East Division, finishing second is the only surefire way to secure a CFL playoff berth.
That’s because Winnipeg (6-5) and B.C. (6-5) are tied for third in the West with Calgary (5-6) close behind. So it’s looking like the fourth-place team in the West will cross over and take the East Division’s final playoff spot.
Toronto is coming off a disappointing 28-24 road loss to Saskatchewan. The Riders outscored the Argos 16-2 in the second half to earn the comeback victory.
Toronto’s Chad Kelly threw for 416 yards and three TDs, tying him with Montreal’s Davis Alexander for the league lead (24). But Kelly also had two interceptions, giving him a CFL-high 17 thus far.
And after rushing for a season-high 145 yards in a 39-20 home victory over Hamilton on Aug. 22, the Argos ran for just 15 yards versus Saskatchewan. Toronto is 4-0 this season when running for 100 or more yards in a game.
Canadian Tre Ford had 356 yards passing in the last meeting versus Toronto, but the Argos erased a 17-15 halftime deficit by outscoring the Ticats 24-3 in the second half.
Last week, Ford threw for 212 yards — he also had a team-high 80 rushing yards — in a 28-23 road loss to Calgary as backup Josh Love completed 25-of-36 passes for 274 yards with a TD and an interception, while Dedrick Mills rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown.
Hamilton won the first meeting 24-23 on July 18 when veteran Argos kicker Lirim Hajrullahu missed a game-ending 31-yard field goal after failing to make a convert earlier. Hajrullahu hasn’t played since, as rookie Brady Lidster handled kicking duties before being released Wednesday.
That suggests Hajrullahu — a two-time Grey Cup champion with Toronto — will return to action Monday. Veteran defensive lineman Shawn Lemon registered two sacks two weeks ago and has eight in the five games he’s played with the Argos.
The Ticats lead the series 37-16-1 all-time, but Toronto has won three of the last four Labour Day meetings at Hamilton Stadium.
B.C. Lions vs. Montreal Alouettes (Friday night)
