Ticats strengthen hold of first in East with 47-29 win, end Argos’ playoff hopes

TORONTO – Bo Levi Mitchell and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats moved closer to cementing first in the East Division while ending the Toronto Argonauts’ playoff hopes.

Mitchell threw for four TD passes as Hamilton defeated Toronto 47-29 on Saturday afternoon, eliminating the defending Grey Cup champions from playoff contention.

Mitchell finished 18-of-25 passing for 320 yards and an interception as the Ticats rebounded from a lopsided 40-3 road loss last week in Winnipeg.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get rid of how that felt last week. I don’t like getting my butt whipped,” Mitchell said. “I’d glad with the way we responded.

“There’s still a lot of football we can clean up to be a better team and be able to beat a team the way we got beat last week (and) still not give up 29 points. It’s on us to find ways to get better and keep driving to be a better team.”

Mitchell’s 34-yard strike to Kenny Lawler just 52 seconds into the fourth put Hamilton ahead 39-22. It came after Toronto outscored the Ticats 13-0 in the third to pull to within 32-22.

Lawler had three catches for 63 yards and two TDs, giving him seven in three games against Toronto. Hamilton won the season series 2-1.

Marc Liegghio’s 33-yard boot — set up by Stavros Katsantonis’s second of three picks — put Hamilton ahead 42-22 at 4:16. But Jarret Doege countered with a 15-yard TD pass to Kevin Mital at 8:05, cutting the deficit to 42-29.

Philip Ossai sacked Doege — Ossai’s third of the game — in the end zone for a safety at 10:51, putting Hamilton ahead 44-29. Liegghio’s 33-yard field goal at 14:17 finished the scoring.

Hamilton (10-6) moved four points ahead of idle Montreal (8-7) atop the East Division. While the Alouettes have a game in hand, the Ticats won the season series and thus have the tiebreaker should the teams finish with identical records.

Hamilton and Montreal have both clinched home playoff games. The Ticats will finish their regular season at home against Calgary (next Saturday) and Ottawa (Oct. 24).

The Ticats’ defence played a huge role in the victory, registering nine sacks — four by Julian Howsare — and five turnovers (four interceptions, fumble recovery). And although Hamilton reached double-digit wins for the first time since 2019, it didn’t help head coach Scott Milanovich forget about last week’s loss.

“I don’t know that those ever leave you,” he said. “I’m proud of the way we bounced back, it was a three-phase win.

“They (Ticats defence) were on the quarterback, a lot of pressure, obviously.”

Toronto (5-11) suffered a third straight loss and dropped its final home game of the year. The Argos will end their season in Saskatchewan (Friday night) and Calgary (Oct. 18) and miss the playoffs for the first time in head coach Ryan Dinwiddie’s five seasons at the helm.

“It’s tough, the guys are down obviously,” he said. “After being down by so much at halftime, I thought those guys willed their way back into the game but there were too many things to overcome.

“It’s tough to lose like that at home and in our last home game.”

Toronto’s defeat, coupled with Ottawa’s 20-13 loss to Saskatchewan on Friday night, ensures a West Division crossover for the East Division’s final post-season berth.

Toronto also lost starting quarterback Nick Arbuckle (arm) on its first possession, likely for the rest of the season Dinwiddie said. Doege took over at 4:34 of the first on a brilliant fall afternoon before a BMO Field gathering of 19,846.

Doege finished 34-of-49 passing for 323 yards and two TDs but had four interceptions.

Brendan O’Leary-Orange, with two, and Greg Bell scored Hamilton’s other touchdowns. Liegghio added three field goals and five converts while Nik Constantinou had a single.

David Ungerer III had Toronto’s other touchdown. Lirim Hajrullahu booted two converts and five field goals.

Toronto pulled to within 32-19 on Doege’s 18-yard TD pass to Ungerer at 5:13 of the third following Tarvarus McFadden’s interception.

Hajrullahu hit from 38 yards out at 2:56. His 51-yard boot at 14:20 made it a 32-22 game.

Hajrullahu’s 52-yard field goal to end the second quarter cut Hamilton’s halftime lead to 32-9. The Ticats controlled the opening half, scoring on five-of-eight possessions, forcing three turnovers (resulting in 14 points) and three sacks.

Mitchell and O’Leary-Orange hooked up on a 24-yard TD pass at 14:17 to give Hamilton a 32-6 lead. It followed Katsantonis’s interception.

Hajrullahu’s 32-yard field goal at 7:16 cut Hamilton’s lead to 24-6 at 7:16.

Hajrullahu’s 37-yard field goal at 13:47 of the first cut Hamilton’s lead to 17-3. But Bell’s 14-yard TD run earned the Ticats a 24-3 advantage at 4:03 of the second.

Mitchell found O’Leary-Orange behind Toronto’s secondary on an 87-yard TD pass at 9:17, putting Hamilton ahead 17-0.

Mitchell staked Hamilton to a 10-0 lead with a five-yard TD strike to Lawler at 3:53. It was set up by Howsare’s recovery of Arbuckle’s fumble. Arbuckle lost the ball after being sacked by Ossai and immediately went into the medical tent.

When Arbuckle re-emerged, his right arm was in a sling.

Liegghio’s 29-yard field goal at 1:52 opened the scoring.

UP NEXT

Tiger-Cats: Host the Calgary Stampeders on Saturday, Oct. 11.

Argonauts: Visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Friday, Oct. 10.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 4, 2025.