Elks squeeze out 37-35 win in overtime as Ticats eliminated from playoff race
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EDMONTON – The Edmonton Elks made the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ playoff elimination sting just a little bit more than usual on Saturday.
Joshua Cephus caught a three-yard pass in the endzone during the two-point shootout as the Elks returned to their winning ways with a dramatic 37-35 overtime victory over the Tiger-Cats.
“I think I’ve got a few more grey hairs after that one,” said Elks head coach Mark Kilam. “It took a lot of guts, up and down. There’s lots of things to improve on, but the guys found a way.
“Vincent (Blanchard) was tremendous. It was a playoff-like atmosphere to the game. Banking that experience, I think that’s something we’ll carry forward with us.”
Elks kicker Vincent Blanchard broke a CFL record with nine field goals in the game.
Cody Fajardo went 32-of-47 passing for 298 yards with one rushing touchdown and one interception as the West Division-leading Elks (11-4) made it five wins in their last six.
“It sucks when we don’t play our best and we left some things out there, but that’s what a playoff game is like right there,” Fajardo said. “It’s not all going to be pretty, but we found a way to win the football game and I’m going to leave it at that.”
Justin Rankin had 74 rushing yards on 11 carries, while Zach Mathis had five catches for 75 yards.
Harrison Frost completed 17 of 34 pass attempts for 214 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions as the Tiger-Cats (4-11) lost their fifth in a row and fell out of playoff contention.
“We were fighting for a playoff spot, fighting for our season,” said Hamilton defensive back Reggie Stubblefield. “We fought hard all game. There were mistakes in all phases of the game, but we kept fighting, we kept giving ourselves a chance. To lose like that really hurts.”
Larry Rountree III had 91 yards on the ground on 13 carries with a TD. Kurleigh Gittens Jr. led all Hamilton receivers with four catches, 62 yards and a TD.
The Ticats cashed in on their opening drive with a 30-yard field goal from Marc Liegghio.
Edmonton quickly responded with a 40-yard field goal from Blanchard.
Hamilton took a 10-3 lead with three minutes to play in the opening quarter as Rountree blazed up the middle and shrugged off a few tackles on his way to a 39-yard touchdown.
The Elks once again answered with a 37-yard Blanchard field goal.
Edmonton squandered a glorious opportunity after a punt return was fumbled away by Hamilton’s Myron Mitchell and recovered by Elk Royce Metchie at the Ticats’ 12-yard line, but all they got out of it was a 22-yard field goal from Blanchard.
Blanchard put Edmonton up 12-10 with three minutes left in the second quarter with a 54-yard field goal.
Edmonton closed the half with yet another 25-yard Blanchard field goal.
Blanchard kicked his sixth field goal from 40 yards midway through the third.
The Ticats surged back with a 34-yard TD pass from Frost to Gittens but the two-point convert attempt failed.
The Elks finally found the endzone with three minutes left in the third as a 34-yard run by Rankin set up a one-yard quarterback keeper by Fajardo.
Hamilton once again bounced back on the first play of the fourth with a 31-yard TD pass from Frost to Tyler Ternowksi.
Edmonton then kicked a punt single.
The Ticats tied the game 26-26 with 6:26 remaining on a 46-yard Liegghio field goal.
Liegghio missed a 51-yard attempt with two minutes remaining.
Fajardo was then intercepted on the Edmonton 33-yard-line by Stubblefield, leading to a 21-yard field goal by Liegghio to give Hamilton the lead.
Blanchard tied the game with three seconds left with his seventh field goal, from 27 yards.
Hamilton had first crack in OT, getting a 41-yard field goal from Liegghio.
Blanchard tied the record with his eighth from 37 yards. He then broke the record with his ninth, hitting from 35 yards out in the second OT.
Hamiton had first down from the three on their turn, but were forced to take a 12-yard field goal to set up a two-point convert shootout.
The Ticats failed to score on their first attempt, giving the Elks the chance to win it.
“There’s no words to make it feel any better in that locker room,” said Hamilton head coach Scott Milanovich. “I thought they competed their hearts out, we were just one play short.”
NOTES
The Elks record for field goals in a game was previously seven, set by Sean Fleming. The CFL record was eight, which had happened five times before Blanchard broke it on Saturday.
UP NEXT
Tiger-Cats: Travel to Ottawa to face the Redblacks next Friday.
Elks: Have a bye before heading to Hamilton for a rematch on Oct. 9.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2026.