The Toronto Argonauts and Winnipeg Blue Bombers battle for the Grey Cup on Sunday.
After a 2-4 start, the Blue Bombers finished atop the West Division and earned their spot within the championship game by beating the Saskatchewan Roughriders within the West final.
The Argos weathered quarterback woes to complete second within the East before upsetting the league-leading Montreal Alouettes within the division final.
That win proved costly, though, as quarterback Chad Kelly broke his ankle. That leaves Toronto counting on backup Nick Arbuckle on Sunday.
A have a look at the 111th Grey Cup by the numbers:
1: Arbuckle makes his first Grey Cup start. The last two QBs to play within the championship for the primary time each won (Cody Fajardo with the Montreal Alouettes in 2023, MacLeod Bethel-Thompson with Toronto in 2022).
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2: The Argos beat the Bombers twice during regular-season play, but each games were tightly contested. Toronto won 16-14 at BMO Stadium on July 24, then took a 14-11 win in Winnipeg on Oct. 11.
4: Fourth-quarter comebacks have grow to be a regularity on the Grey Cup. Six of the last eight were won by teams trailing in the ultimate frame.
5: The Blue Bombers make their fifth straight Grey Cup appearance and Zach Collaros becomes the primary quarterback to begin five in a row.
8: This will likely be the eighth time the 2 sides have met within the championship game. Toronto won the primary seven matchups.
9: Toronto trailed by nine points with 14:38 left within the 2022 Grey Cup in Regina The Argos held the Bombers scoreless across the fourth quarter and rallied for a 24-23 win.
15: The variety of Argonauts playing of their first CFL championship game, including star running back Ka’Deem Carey.
17: The variety of times Vancouver has hosted the Grey Cup with the last held in 2014.
18: The variety of Blue Bombers with Grey Cup experience. Offensive lineman Stanley Bryant makes his seventh appearance.
50,000: Spectators expected at B.C. Place on Sunday. The 41-year-old stadium has a capability of about 55,000.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
