Stavros Katsantonis and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats will get a chance Saturday to be the first CFL team to hand Davis Alexander a loss.
Alexander is unbeaten in 11 career regular-season starts — a CFL record to begin a career — and won his first playoff contest last weekend, leading Montreal past the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 42-33 in the East Division semifinal. That earned the Alouettes a trip to Hamilton for the Eastern final Saturday afternoon.
Hamilton swept the season series with Montreal 2-0 but Alexander, in his first year as the Alouettes No. 1 quarterback, didn’t play in either contest. Hamstring injuries limited Alexander, 27, to just seven regular-season starts.
“He’s a good quarterback,” said Katsantonis, the Ticats’ safety who had six interceptions this season, tying him for the CFL lead. “He’s got a 12-0 record for a reason.
“He knows how to be a field general out there.”
Hamilton (11-7) finished atop the East ahead of Montreal (10-8) but the Alouettes are early 2 1/2-point favourites for Saturday’s game.
Alexander faced Hamilton twice last year, leading Montreal to victory both times. The five-foot-11, 210-pound quarterback completed 36-of-51 passes (70.6 per cent) for 509 yards with three touchdowns and an interception while rushing five times for 43 yards in those games.
Alexander finished 158-of-218 passing (72.5 per cent) for 2,204 yards with 10 TDs and three interceptions and was 7-0 as the starter. He also ran 12 times for 110 yards (9.2-yard average) and a touchdown.
“You’ve got to give credit to Davis Alexander, their leader,” said Hamilton linebacker Reggie Stubblefield, who helped Montreal win the ’23 Grey Cup. “Davis is undefeated in all his CFL games.
“Very impressive, something very hard to do in football.”
Versus Winnipeg, Alexander completed 24-of-36 passes for 384 yards with a touchdown and interception. The four-year veteran also ran three times for 32 yards and a TD.
“He opens up a lot in terms of the scramble game,” said Devin Veresuk, Hamilton’s rookie middle linebacker. “He can use his legs and also be almost like a second running back so it’s something us (Ticats linebackers) and the whole defence have to keep an eye on.
“Not letting him ruin the game with his legs. Get on your guy in coverage and chase Mr. Alexander down.”
Montreal is a vastly different team with Alexander than it is without him. The Als were 3-8 this year in games Alexander didn’t start.
Alexander doesn’t lack confidence, either in himself or his team, but doesn’t come off as cocky. More importantly, the Alouettes as a whole feed off their quarterback’s self-assurance and inspired play.
And that’s important as Montreal’s offence was eighth overall in rushing this season (85.9 yards per game) and seventh in passing (254.6).
Alexander was at his best last weekend in the second half after Winnipeg erased a 25-6 halftime deficit to go ahead 27-25. Montreal responded with a four-play, 75-yard scoring drive that culminated with Stevie Scott III’s 13-yard TD but also included Austin Mack’s diving 50-yard catch.
Then with 2:50 remaining in regulation time, Montreal took over at its 18-yard line leading 39-33. It’s offence marched to Winnipeg’s four-yard line before Jose Maltos’ 12-yard field goal at 14:28 cemented the victory.
On that drive, Alexander completed both pass attempts for 23 yards and added an 18-yard run. Montreal’s ground game really stood out as the Alouettes ran for 176 yards against a Winnipeg defence that was third against the run (94.1 yards per game) during the regular season.
Hamilton’s defence was eighth in rushing yards allowed (110 per game). But it had a CFL-high 27 interceptions and boasts plenty of quality in the secondary with cornerbacks Jamal Peters (tied for CFL lead with six interceptions) and Jonathan Moxey (three interceptions), halfbacks DaShaun Amos (four interceptions) and Destin Talbert (three interceptions) along with Katsantonis.
The Ticats lead the league in that turnovers (44) and points off turnovers (134) this season. Montreal had 31 turnovers, second-fewest in the CFL, but lost the turnover battle in both games this year with Hamilton.
Hamilton starter Bo Levi Mitchell, a two-time Grey Cup champion and twice the league MVP over his 13 CFL seasons, knows all about getting a career off and running. Mitchell won 12 of his first 13 starts with the Calgary Stampeders and feels Alexander is buoyed by confidence these days, not a fear of losing.
“You know at some point you’re going to lose, you’re not going to go your entire career undefeated,” Mitchell said. “I don’t think they feel the pressure of the possibility of losing.
“He’s got the record, it’s his. If you’re a pitcher and you’re 13-0, I don’t think you’re worrying about a loss … you’re just going out and trying to do stuff.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 4, 2025.
Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press
