Inside the CFL: Grey Cup glory wasn’t easy, but nothing is for Riders nation

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on November 20, 2025.

sports@medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews

arly in the third quarter of the 112th Grey Cup after Saskatchewan scored a touchdown to go up 22-7 and the Alouettes went two and out, I made a note to myself, “They should be able to cruise home now.”

Yeah, right. Who was I kidding?

It’s just not part of Roughrider DNA to do things the easy way. And, sure enough, Montreal mounted a ferocious comeback before falling 25-17.

It was a game of firsts.

Quarterback Trevor Harris won his first Grey Cup as a starter and was named Grey Cup MVP. He recorded the highest completion percentage rate, 85.2, in Grey Cup history. Samuel Emilus set a team Grey Cup record with 10 receptions, catching all passes thrown his way, and got the Most Outstanding Canadian Award. He also ran for 57 yards after his receptions.

There were also unfortunate firsts. Alouettes quarterback Davis Alexander lost his first ever CFL game and backup quarterback Shea Patterson fumbled for the first time in his career, effectively ending his team’s chance to win. It was the first turnover for the Alouettes in the red zone in 23 games. Alexander threw three interceptions for the first time in his career.

Although I wrote that Lark Davis Alexander wasn’t as good as Lion Nathan Rourke, I might be wrong. His performance was magnificent, as courageous as the 1991 Grey Cup in Winnipeg when Matt Dunigan with a shattered shoulder somehow led the Argos to victory over Calgary. After the game Alexander said he didn’t play well enough to win. The game could have gone either way. Would a healthy Lark leader have made the difference? Who knows.

Saskatchewan had an excellent defence capable of adjusting. Their front four of Mike Rose, Micah Johnson, Malik Carney and Habakkuk Baldonado applied relentless pressure. The linebackers and secondary men were outstanding. Riders Marcus Sayles, Tevaughan Campbell and Rolan Milligan Jr. each had an interception. Middle linebacker Jameer Thurman had 11 tackles. Although Trevor Harris and Samuel Emilus won the awards, the Roughrider defence won the team’s fifth Grey Cup.

The difference in total offence between the teams was six yards. Saskatchewan possessed the ball 1:28 more than Montreal. Neither O-line gave up a sack. Harris was good on 23 of 27 for 302 yards, Alexander 22 of 34 for 284 yards. The gutsy Montrealer was very good but Harris’ performance was one for the ages. The Riders were 100 per cent in the red zone. The game was played cleanly and well.

One of the oldest cliches in sports is that the team that makes the fewest mistakes wins. The Roughriders had no giveaways. Alexander threw three interceptions and Patterson fumbled. While the Westerners’ defence won the title, the Alouettes lost the Grey Cup due to turnovers.

The 2025 Roughriders team was assembled by GM Jeremy O’Day, who drafted shrewdly, signed free agents and hired Corey Mace. Victory always starts in the front office.

The Grey Cup remains Canada’s single greatest sporting event. Over the years when the CFL was beset with difficulties, the Grey Cup has always been the now 116-year-old league’s salvation.

Commissioner Stewart Johnston wants to change the game to make it more exciting. When he ascended the makeshift stage to present the Grey Cup to the winners, he was soundly booed by the fans in the stands, by those who pay the freight. More exciting? Sunday’s game ranked with the most crowd pleasing ever. I’ve personally attended 47 Grey Cups and I can tell you most were compelling, entertaining football games. Fans from all over having a good time together in various venues and on the street is uniquely and delightfully Canadian.

It’s always been a standing joke that the CFL survives the people who run it. As was the case when the changes were announced, the Americans were in favour, the Canadians against. Despite the commissioner’s assurances he’s not trying to Americanize the game, the half-time show was American, and the most prominent ad on player jerseys was for Mobil Oil.

After the 1989 win, coach John Gregory observed, “It was interesting to see how it affected everybody, from the farmers to the meat cutters, to the president of banks.”

It’s the same this week with all Riders fans walking on air.

No wonder.

Five championships in 19 tries makes it extra special.

Graham Kelly has covered the CFL for the Medicine Hat News for 53 years. Feedback for this column can be emailed to sports@medicinehatnews.com.