Key Takeaways
- Winnipeg beat Toronto 25-22 after Dru Brown hit Nic Demski for a touchdown with 44 seconds remaining.
- BC rallied from a 17-3 deficit to beat Saskatchewan 33-26 behind Nathan Rourke and Jevon Cottoy.
- Winnipeg visits Montreal and BC visits Edmonton in the CFL division finals.
Two CFL Playoff Games. Two Comebacks. One Wild Halloween Saturday.
Forty-four seconds.
That's how close Toronto came to keeping its Grey Cup hopes alive.
Across the country, Saskatchewan watched a 14-point lead disappear.
Halloween Saturday delivered two dramatic CFL division semifinals — and by the final whistle, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and BC Lions were heading to the division finals.
Winnipeg Steals Victory With 44 Seconds Left
Toronto looked ready to celebrate.
The Argonauts led 16-10 at halftime and were still ahead 22-17 late in the fourth quarter at BMO Field.
Then came the nightmare.
Winnipeg forced a fumble from punt returner Janarion Grant, giving the Blue Bombers one last opportunity.
Quarterback Dru Brown made it count.
With just 44 seconds remaining, Brown connected with Nic Demski for a 23-yard touchdown. Winnipeg added the two-point convert and escaped with a stunning 25-22 Eastern Semi-Final victory.
Brown, starting in place of injured quarterback Zach Collaros, completed 18 of 30 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns.
Demski led all receivers with 72 yards. Brady Oliveira rushed for 95 yards, while David Reese delivered another game-changing moment with a 58-yard fumble return for a touchdown.
Toronto had the lead. Winnipeg took the win.
BC Turns a 17-3 Deficit Into a 33-26 Victory
Meanwhile, in Vancouver, Saskatchewan appeared to be cruising.
The Roughriders jumped ahead 17-3 in the second quarter and carried a 17-13 lead into halftime.
Then Nathan Rourke and Jevon Cottoy took over.
Rourke completed 21 of 32 passes for 366 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions.
Cottoy delivered two third-quarter touchdowns — first a spectacular 70-yard catch-and-run, then a 13-yard score.
He finished with a game-high 131 receiving yards.
Saskatchewan still had one final chance.
But a sack of quarterback Trevor Harris on the game's last play ended the comeback attempt.
Final score: BC Lions 33, Saskatchewan Roughriders 26 in the Western Semi-Final.
A 14-point deficit had become a seven-point victory.
Next Stop: The CFL Division Finals
Four teams remain. Two Grey Cup spots are waiting.
Both division finals take place Saturday, November 7:
- Eastern Final: Winnipeg Blue Bombers visit the Montreal Alouettes at Percival Molson Stadium — 3 p.m. ET.
- Western Final: BC Lions visit the Edmonton Elks at Commonwealth Stadium — 6:30 p.m. ET.
The winners advance to the 113th Grey Cup on Sunday, November 15, at McMahon Stadium in Calgary.
Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET.
The Twikup Take
Winnipeg struck with 44 seconds remaining. Saskatchewan had a 14-point lead.
Neither was enough.
Now Winnipeg must conquer Montreal, while BC faces Edmonton. Both will have to win on the road to reach Calgary.
In the CFL playoffs, the scoreboard tells you who's winning. The final whistle tells you who's surviving.
Image: AI-generated illustration.