![Roughriders win3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Roughriders_win3.jpg)
The 95th Grey Cup was held in
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
at the
Rogers Centre on November 25, 2007. The
Grey Cup, first awarded in 1909, is the championship game of the
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...
. It was played between the
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a professional Canadian football team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. The Roughriders compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West Division.
The Roughriders were founded in ...
and the
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a professional Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Blue Bombers compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West division. They play their home games at IG Fie ...
, with the Roughriders winning 23–19. It was the first Grey Cup meeting between the two teams, and was also the first time any
Labour Day Classic
The Labour Day Classic (french: Classique de la fête du travail, branded as OK Tire Labour Day Weekend for sponsorship reasons) is a week of the Canadian Football League (CFL) schedule played over the Labour Day weekend (which includes the firs ...
matchup has reoccurred in the Grey Cup.
The 95th Grey Cup was the 46th
Grey Cup hosted by Toronto since the championship's inception in 1909 and the first it has hosted since 1992. SkyDome/Rogers Centre previously hosted the
77th Grey Cup
The 77th Grey Cup was the 1989 Canadian Football League championship game played between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at SkyDome in Toronto; this was the first Grey Cup game held at the stadium as it opened in June 198 ...
in 1989 and the
80th Grey Cup
The 80th Grey Cup was the 1992 Canadian Football League championship game played between the Calgary Stampeders and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Toronto's SkyDome. The Stampeders had little trouble defeating the Blue Bombers, 24–10.
Game sum ...
in 1992. The game was announced as a sellout on November 19, 2007. Ticket prices ranged from $94 to $560.
The game was viewed by approximately 3.337 million viewers on CBC television, up from 3.202 million the previous year. This was the last Grey Cup and CFL game broadcast by CBC, as TSN became the exclusive TV home for the CFL the following season.
Grey Cup Festivities
The Grey Cup festivities began with a four-day festival that had over 50 events at several venues in downtown Toronto including the
Metro Toronto Convention Centre
Metro Toronto Convention Centre (originally and still colloquially Metro Convention Centre, and sometimes MTCC), is a convention complex located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada along Front Street West in the former Railway Lands in downtown Toronto. ...
, and the
CN Tower
The CN Tower (french: Tour CN) is a concrete communications and observation tower in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Built on the former Railway Lands, it was completed in 1976. Its name "CN" referred to Canadian National, the railway c ...
. The festival area was bounded by
Spadina Avenue
Spadina Avenue (, less commonly ) is one of the most prominent streets in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Running through the western section of downtown, the road has a very different character in different neighbourhoods.
Spadina Avenue runs south ...
east to
Bay Street
Bay Street is a major thoroughfare in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the centre of Toronto's Financial District and is often used by metonymy to refer to Canada's financial services industry since succeeding Montreal's St. James Stre ...
and from
Nathan Phillips Square
Nathan Phillips Square is an urban plaza in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It forms the forecourt to Toronto City Hall, or ''New City Hall'', at the intersection of Queen Street West and Bay Street, and is named for Nathan Phillips, mayor of Tor ...
south to
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north, west, and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south and east by the U.S. state of New York. The Canada–United States border ...
.
On the weekend of the Grey Cup, there was a "Celebration of Football" with games hosted at the Rogers Centre at amateur, high school, and university level, including the 43rd
Vanier Cup
The Vanier Cup (french: Coupe Vanier) is the championship of Canadian university football. It is organized by U Sports football and is currently played between the winners of the Uteck Bowl and the Mitchell Bowl. It is named after Georges Vanier ...
, the
CIS football championship. The
Vanier Cup
The Vanier Cup (french: Coupe Vanier) is the championship of Canadian university football. It is organized by U Sports football and is currently played between the winners of the Uteck Bowl and the Mitchell Bowl. It is named after Georges Vanier ...
game was held on November 23, 2007 at Rogers Centre with the
Manitoba Bisons
The Manitoba Bisons are the athletic teams that represent the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The football team plays their games at Investors Group Field. The soccer team play their home games at the University of Manit ...
defeating the
Saint Mary's Huskies. This marked the first time the Vanier Cup has been held in conjunction with the Grey Cup.
Confirmed festival events include:
*Annual team parties (e.g.
Riderville,
MontreALS Huddle,
Double Blue Bash,
Tigertown,
Lions' Den, including the nonexistent
Atlantic Schooners)
*Grey Cup
Chopper raffle
*Street festivals on
Front Street and Bremner Street
*BMX Bike Park presented by the Argonauts' Stop The Violence foundation
*Grey Cup House built by CFL players and fans for
Habitat for Humanity
*CFL Player Awards at
Roy Thomson Hall
Roy Thomson Hall is a concert hall in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Located downtown in the city's entertainment district, it is home to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, and the Toronto Defiant. Opened in 1982, its circ ...
**Includes a tribute to
John Candy
John Franklin Candy (October 31, 1950 – March 4, 1994) was a Canadian actor and comedian known mainly for his work in Hollywood films. Candy rose to fame in the 1970s as a member of the Toronto branch of the Second City and its '' SCTV'' seri ...
hosted by
Dan Aykroyd
*Grey Cup Gala at
Liberty Grand hosted by
Brent Butt
*
CN Tower
The CN Tower (french: Tour CN) is a concrete communications and observation tower in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Built on the former Railway Lands, it was completed in 1976. Its name "CN" referred to Canadian National, the railway c ...
party hosted by
Trish Stratus
Patricia Anne Stratigeas (; born December 18, 1975) better known by the ring name Trish Stratus is a Canadian professional wrestler, actress and yoga instructor. She is currently signed to WWE. Often regarded as one of the greatest Women's Pe ...
*Grey Cup Party Series hosted by
Trailer Park Boys
''Trailer Park Boys'' is a Canadian mockumentary sitcom television series created by Mike Clattenburg that began airing in 2001 as a continuation of his 1999 film bearing the same name. The show follows the misadventures of a group of trailer p ...
Ricky, Julian and Bubbles
*Musical acts
**
Lenny Kravitz
**
Great Big Sea
**
Barenaked Ladies
**
Spirit of the West
Spirit of the West were a Canadian folk rock band from North Vancouver, active from 1983 to 2016. They were popular on the Canadian folk music scene in the 1980s before evolving a blend of hard rock, Britpop, and Celtic folk influences which ...
**
The Lowest of the Low
The Lowest of the Low is a Canadian alternative rock group formed in 1991 from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Michael Barclay, Ian A.D. Jack and Jason Schneider, '' Have Not Been the Same: The Can-Rock Renaissance 1985-1995''. ECW Press. . They were o ...
**
Hinder
Hinder is an American rock band from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, formed in 2001 by lead singer Austin John Winkler, guitarist Joe "Blower" Garvey, and drummer Cody Hanson with bassist Mike Roden and guitarist Mark King joining in 2003, solidify ...
**
Sloan
**
Kim Mitchell
Joseph Kim Mitchell (born July 10, 1952) is a Canadian rock musician. He was the lead singer and guitarist for the band Max Webster before going on to a solo career. His 1984 single, " Go for Soda", was his only charted song on the US ''Billbo ...
**
The Trews
The Trews are a Canadians, Canadian rock music, rock band from Antigonish, Nova Scotia, consisting of vocalist Colin MacDonald, guitarist John-Angus MacDonald, bassist Jack Syperek, and drummer Chris Gormley. The band is currently based in Hamil ...
Game Summary
The Roughriders received the opening kickoff. The teams traded possessions back and forth until a 16-yard
field goal by Bombers kicker
Troy Westwood
Troy Westwood (born March 21, 1967) is a former professional Canadian football place kicker and punter who played 18 years for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted 48th overall in the 6th round of the 1991 CF ...
gave Winnipeg an early 3-0 lead late in the opening quarter. Near the start of the second quarter, a Westwood punt had moved the Roughriders to their own 10 yard line, and they would concede a safety to make it 5-0. On Saskatchewan's next possession, they would receive an illegal block penalty and concede their second consecutive safety to make the score 7-0 in Winnipeg's favour. Later in the second quarter,
Ryan Dinwiddie's attempted pass to
Milt Stegall
Milton Eugene Stegall (born January 25, 1970) is a former professional gridiron football player who played 17 years of professional football, three years in the National Football League with the Cincinnati Bengals and 14 years in the Canadian Foo ...
would be intercepted by James Johnson for a game-tying touchdown.
Luca Congi would add a field goal on the last play of the half to put Saskatchewan ahead 10-7.
On the third play of the second half, Dinwiddie fumbled, and the Roughriders would capitalize with a field goal to extend their lead to 13-7. The Bombers offense would quickly respond, with Dinwiddie throwing to
Derick Armstrong
Derick Armstrong (born April 2, 1979) is a former gridiron football wide receiver. He most recently played for the Edmonton Eskimos and the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League.
Early life
Armstrong was born in Jasper, Texas. He attended ...
for a touchdown that gave Winnipeg a 14-13 lead.
Near the end of the third quarter, Johnson's second interception of the game would lead to Saskatchewan being in position for a short field goal, until
Doug Brown appeared to stop Roughriders quarterback
Kerry Joseph
Kerry Tremaine Joseph (born October 4, 1973) is an American former gridiron football quarterback and current coach. He is the assistant quarterbacks coach for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He was born in New Iberia, ...
on third down, giving possession back to the Bombers. Saskatchewan coach
Kent Austin
Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
successfully challenged the placement of the ball leading to Congi retaking the lead for Saskatchewan.
On the Roughriders' first possession of the fourth quarter, Joseph passed to
Andy Fantuz for a touchdown, giving Saskatchewan a 9-point lead. Another well-placed punt by Westwood led to the third conceded safety by the Roughriders, leaving the Bombers within a touchdown of tying the game. Later on, a long pass interference penalty would bring Winnipeg into position for another Westwood field goal to make the score 23-19. On the Bombers' final possession, Johnson would intercept Dinwiddie for a CFL record 3rd time, sealing the 23-19 win for the Saskatchewan Roughriders
Scoring summary
; First Quarter
: WPG – FG Westwood 16 yards 3-0 WPG
; Second Quarter
: WPG - Safety Boreham (conceded) 5-0 WPG
: WPG - Safety Boreham (conceded) 7-0 WPG
: SSK - TD Johnson 30 yard interception return (Congi convert) 7-7
: SSK - FG Congi 45 yards 10-7 SSK
; Third Quarter
: SSK - FG Congi 17 yards 13-7 SSK
: WPG - TD Armstrong 50 yard pass (Westwood convert) 14-13 WPG
: SSK - FG Congi 12 yards 16-14 SSK
; Fourth Quarter
: SSK - TD Fantuz 29 yard pass (Congi convert) 23-14 SSK
: WPG - Safety Boreham (conceded) 23-16 SSK
: WPG - FG Westwood 42 yards 23-19 SSK
References
External links
Official websiteOfficial MySpace*
*
{{CFL on CBC
95
Grey Cups hosted in Toronto
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Saskatchewan Roughriders
2007 in Toronto
Grey Cup
Grey Cup
2007 in Canadian television
November 2007 sports events in Canada