1977 CFL season
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The 1977 CFL season is considered to be the 24th season in modern-day
Canadian football Canadian football () is a team sport, sport played in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed oval-shaped ball into the opposing team's sco ...
, although it is officially the 20th
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 ...
season.


CFL News in 1977

The
65th Grey Cup The 65th Grey Cup, also known as The Ice Bowl, was played on November 27, 1977, at Montreal's Olympic Stadium. The hometown Montreal Alouettes defeated the Edmonton Eskimos by a score of 41–6. Game Summary The 1977 Grey Cup was Canada's versio ...
game, nicknamed "The Ice Bowl", was held in
Olympic Stadium ''Olympic Stadium'' is the name usually given to the main stadium of an Olympic Games. An Olympic stadium is the site of the opening and closing ceremonies. Many, though not all, of these venues actually contain the words ''Olympic Stadium'' as ...
in
Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
. The game itself set an attendance record with 68,318, which in turn set a record for ticket revenue of $1,401,930. The
Montreal Alouettes The Montreal Alouettes (Canadian French, French: Les Alouettes de Montréal) are a professional Canadian football team based in Montreal, Quebec. Founded in 1946, the team has folded and been revived twice. The Alouettes compete in the Canadian F ...
also set an CFL regular-season team attendance record with 69,093 attending the September 6 game against the Toronto Argonauts at Olympic Stadium.


Regular season standings


Final regular season standings

''Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points'' *Bold text means that they have clinched the playoffs. *''Edmonton and Montreal have first round byes.''


Grey Cup playoffs

The
Montreal Alouettes The Montreal Alouettes (Canadian French, French: Les Alouettes de Montréal) are a professional Canadian football team based in Montreal, Quebec. Founded in 1946, the team has folded and been revived twice. The Alouettes compete in the Canadian F ...
are the 1977
Grey Cup The Grey Cup (french: Coupe Grey) is both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing in the namesake championship of professional Canadian football. The game is contested be ...
champions, defeating the
Edmonton Eskimos The Edmonton Elks are a professional Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. The club competes in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member of the league's West Division and plays their home games at the Brick Field at Commo ...
, 41–6, in front of their home crowd at
Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
's
Olympic Stadium ''Olympic Stadium'' is the name usually given to the main stadium of an Olympic Games. An Olympic stadium is the site of the opening and closing ceremonies. Many, though not all, of these venues actually contain the words ''Olympic Stadium'' as ...
. This Grey Cup was known as the "Ice Bowl" since the field was frozen in a sheet of ice. There was controversy with respect to the game due to the fact the Eskimos were wearing normal cleats, while the Alouettes were wearing staples on their cleats giving them a huge advantage on the icy field. The Alouettes'
Sonny Wade Jesse "Sonny" Wade (born April 1, 1947) is a former All-American football player at Emory & Henry College in Virginia. He played professionally for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League from 1969 to 1978. High school Wade attend ...
(QB) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player on Offence and Glen Weir (DT) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player on Defence. The Alouettes'
Don Sweet Don Sweet (born July 13, 1948) is a former star football kicker for the Montreal Alouettes and Montreal Concordes of the Canadian Football League. College years Sweet graduated from Washington State University in 1971. He was a Pacific-10 Confer ...
(K) was named
Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian The Dick Suderman Trophy (french: Trophée Dick Suderman) for the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian (''Le Canadien le plus précieux de la Coupe Grey'') is awarded annually to the Canadian player deemed to have the best performance in the Grey Cup ...
.


Playoff bracket


CFL Leaders

*
CFL Passing Leaders 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 ...
*
CFL Rushing Leaders The CFL was officially formed in 1958. Statistics for the IRFU/Eastern Division date back to 1954 whereas WIFU/Western Division statistics date back to 1950. See also *List of Canadian Football League annual passing leaders *List of Canadian Fo ...
*
CFL Receiving Leaders The CFL was officially formed in 1958. Statistics for the IRFU/Eastern Division date back to 1954 whereas WIFU/Western Division statistics date back to 1950. See also *List of Canadian Football League annual passing leaders *List of Canadian ...


1977 CFL All-Stars


Offence

*QB –
Jerry Tagge Jerry Lee Tagge (born April 12, 1950) is a former American football player. He played college football as quarterback at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where he led the Nebraska Cornhuskers to consecutive national championships in 1970 an ...
, BC Lions *RB –
Jimmy Edwards James Keith O'Neill Edwards, DFC (23 March 19207 July 1988) was an English comedy writer and actor on radio and television, best known as Pa Glum in ''Take It from Here'' and as headmaster "Professor" James Edwards in ''Whack-O!''. Early lif ...
, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *RB –
Jim Washington James H. "Jumpin' Jimmy" Washington (born July 1, 1943) is a former professional basketball player. A 6'6" forward born in Philadelphia and from Villanova University, he was selected by the St. Louis Hawks with the 6th pick of the 1965 NBA Draf ...
, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *SB – Tom Scott, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *TE –
Tony Gabriel Anthony Michael Peter Gabriel (born December 11, 1948) is a former professional Canadian football pass receiver who played in the Canadian Football League from 1971 to 1981. He played for both the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Ottawa Rough Riders. ...
, Ottawa Rough Riders *WR –
Tom Forzani Tom Forzani (born June 15, 1951) is a former Canadian football wide receiver for the CFL Calgary Stampeders. He played from 1973 to 1983 for the Stampeders. He is one of three Forzani brothers to play for their hometown Stampeders, along with J ...
, Calgary Stampeders *WR –
Leon Bright Leon "Pop" Bright, Jr. (born May 19, 1955 in Starke, Florida) is a former Gridiron football player in the Canadian Football League for four years and in the National Football League for five years. He played high school football at Merritt Isl ...
, BC Lions *C –
Al Wilson Aldra Kauwa Wilson (born June 21, 1977) is a former American college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons. He played college football for the University of Tennessee, and ...
, BC Lions *OG – Jeff Turcotte, Ottawa Rough Riders *OG – Ralph Galloway, Saskatchewan Roughriders *OT – Mike Wilson, Toronto Argonauts *OT –
Dan Yochum Dan Yochum (August 19, 1950 – August 26, 2020) was an American professional football player who was an offensive lineman for the Montreal Alouettes from 1972–1980 and the Edmonton Eskimos in 1980 of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He wo ...
, Montreal Alouettes


Defence

*DT – Glen Weir, Montreal Alouettes *DT –
Dave Fennell Dave Fennell (born February 4, 1953) is a former defensive lineman for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. After graduating from the University of North Dakota in 1973, he played for Edmonton from 1974 to 1983, and helped lead th ...
, Edmonton Eskimos *DE –
Jim Corrigall Jim Corrigall (born May 7, 1946) is a Canadian former gridiron football player and coach. He was all-star defensive lineman in the Canadian Football League. High school and college Corrigall played football in high school at Scollard Hall, a pr ...
, Toronto Argonauts *DE –
Ron Estay Ron Estay (born December 22, 1948) is a former defensive lineman for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Career After graduating from LSU Tigers football, Louisiana State University (LSU) in 1972, he was selected by the ...
, Edmonton Eskimos *LB –
Danny Kepley Daniel "Danny" Kepley (born August 24, 1953) is a former star linebacker for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. Kepley played college football at East Carolina University. He tried out with the NFL's Dallas Cowboys before star ...
, Edmonton Eskimos *LB – Mike Widger, Ottawa Rough Riders *LB –
Chuck Zapiec Chuck Zapiec (born July 1, 1949) is a former All-American linebacker at Penn State and defensive captain of the Cotton Bowl Champion Nittany Lions. He earned his All-American Status as a linebacker in the only year that he played linebacker at ...
, Montreal Alouettes *DB –
Dickie Harris Dickie Harris (born May 24, 1950 in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey) is a former all-star defensive back with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. A graduate of the University of South Carolina, Harris started his 10-year c ...
, Montreal Alouettes *DB –
Larry Highbaugh Larry Highbaugh (January 14, 1949 – March 21, 2017) was an American defensive back who played with the BC Lions from 1971 to 1972 and the Edmonton Eskimos from 1972 to 1983 of the Canadian Football League. He won six Grey Cup championships whi ...
, Edmonton Eskimos *DB – Paul Bennett, Toronto Argonauts *DB – Pete Lavorato, Edmonton Eskimos *DB – Randy Rhino, Montreal Alouettes


Special teams

*P – Ken Clark, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *K –
Dave Cutler David Neil Cutler Sr. (born March 13, 1942) is an American software engineer. He developed several computer operating systems, namely Microsoft's Windows NT, and Digital Equipment Corporation's RSX-11M, VAXELN, and VMS. Personal history Cu ...
, Edmonton Eskimos


1977 Eastern All-Stars


Offence

*QB –
Tom Clements Thomas Albert Clements (born June 18, 1953) is an American football coach and a former Canadian Football League (CFL) quarterback who is the quarterbacks coach for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He also served as a ...
, Ottawa Rough Riders *RB –
Jimmy Edwards James Keith O'Neill Edwards, DFC (23 March 19207 July 1988) was an English comedy writer and actor on radio and television, best known as Pa Glum in ''Take It from Here'' and as headmaster "Professor" James Edwards in ''Whack-O!''. Early lif ...
, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *RB – Richard Holmes, Toronto & Ottawa *SB –
Peter Dalla Riva Peter Dalla Riva (born December 11, 1946), is a former professional Canadian football player with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League at the tight end and wide receiver positions. Dalla Riva played with the Alouettes for his en ...
, Montreal Alouettes *TE –
Tony Gabriel Anthony Michael Peter Gabriel (born December 11, 1948) is a former professional Canadian football pass receiver who played in the Canadian Football League from 1971 to 1981. He played for both the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Ottawa Rough Riders. ...
, Ottawa Rough Riders *WR –
Jeff Avery Jeff Avery (born March 28, 1953) is a former professional Canadian football wide receiver for the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted as a territorial exemption in the 1976 CFL Draft by the Rough Riders and would ...
, Ottawa Rough Riders *WR – Brock Aynsley, Montreal Alouettes *C – Donn Smith, Ottawa Rough Riders *OG – Jeff Turcotte, Ottawa Rough Riders *OG – Larry Butler, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *OT – Mike Wilson, Toronto Argonauts *OT –
Dan Yochum Dan Yochum (August 19, 1950 – August 26, 2020) was an American professional football player who was an offensive lineman for the Montreal Alouettes from 1972–1980 and the Edmonton Eskimos in 1980 of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He wo ...
, Montreal Alouettes


Defence

*DT – Glen Weir, Montreal Alouettes *DT – Ecomet Burley, Toronto Argonauts *DE –
Jim Corrigall Jim Corrigall (born May 7, 1946) is a Canadian former gridiron football player and coach. He was all-star defensive lineman in the Canadian Football League. High school and college Corrigall played football in high school at Scollard Hall, a pr ...
, Toronto Argonauts *DE – Jim Piaskoski, Ottawa Rough Riders *LB –
Ray Nettles Ray Nettles (August 1, 1949 – September 29, 2009) was a football linebacker at the University of Tennessee who played professional Canadian football from 1972-1980. He was a five-time Canadian Football League All-Star and Hall of Famer. Early ...
, Toronto Argonauts *LB – Mike Widger, Ottawa Rough Riders *LB –
Chuck Zapiec Chuck Zapiec (born July 1, 1949) is a former All-American linebacker at Penn State and defensive captain of the Cotton Bowl Champion Nittany Lions. He earned his All-American Status as a linebacker in the only year that he played linebacker at ...
, Montreal Alouettes *DB –
Dickie Harris Dickie Harris (born May 24, 1950 in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey) is a former all-star defensive back with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. A graduate of the University of South Carolina, Harris started his 10-year c ...
, Montreal Alouettes *DB –
Eric Harris Eric David Harris (April 9, 1981 – April 20, 1999) and Dylan Bennet Klebold (; September 11, 1981 – April 20, 1999) were an American mass murder duo who perpetrated the Columbine High School massacre on April 20, 1999. Harris and Klebold ...
, Toronto Argonauts *DB – Paul Bennett, Toronto Argonauts *DB –
Tony Proudfoot John A. "Tony" Proudfoot (10 September 1949 – 30 December 2010) was an All-Star defensive back in the Canadian Football League, teacher, coach, broadcaster and journalist. He was a Grey Cup champion twice as a player, and twice as special co ...
, Montreal Alouettes *DB – Randy Rhino, Montreal Alouettes


Special teams

*P – Ken Clark, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *K –
Don Sweet Don Sweet (born July 13, 1948) is a former star football kicker for the Montreal Alouettes and Montreal Concordes of the Canadian Football League. College years Sweet graduated from Washington State University in 1971. He was a Pacific-10 Confer ...
, Montreal Alouettes


1977 Western All-Stars


Offence

*QB –
Jerry Tagge Jerry Lee Tagge (born April 12, 1950) is a former American football player. He played college football as quarterback at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where he led the Nebraska Cornhuskers to consecutive national championships in 1970 an ...
, BC Lions *RB –
Willie Burden Willie Burden (July 21, 1951 – December 4, 2015) was a professional Canadian football player with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League, who subsequently became an academic and sports administrator. He was made a member of the C ...
, Calgary Stampeders *RB –
Jim Washington James H. "Jumpin' Jimmy" Washington (born July 1, 1943) is a former professional basketball player. A 6'6" forward born in Philadelphia and from Villanova University, he was selected by the St. Louis Hawks with the 6th pick of the 1965 NBA Draf ...
, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *SB – Tom Scott, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *TE – Gord Paterson, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *WR –
Tom Forzani Tom Forzani (born June 15, 1951) is a former Canadian football wide receiver for the CFL Calgary Stampeders. He played from 1973 to 1983 for the Stampeders. He is one of three Forzani brothers to play for their hometown Stampeders, along with J ...
, Calgary Stampeders *WR –
Leon Bright Leon "Pop" Bright, Jr. (born May 19, 1955 in Starke, Florida) is a former Gridiron football player in the Canadian Football League for four years and in the National Football League for five years. He played high school football at Merritt Isl ...
, BC Lions *C –
Al Wilson Aldra Kauwa Wilson (born June 21, 1977) is a former American college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons. He played college football for the University of Tennessee, and ...
, BC Lions *OG – Buddy Brown, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *OG – Ralph Galloway, Saskatchewan Roughriders *OT – Layne McDowell, BC Lions *OT – Charlie Turner, Edmonton Eskimos


Defence

*DT – Frank Landy, BC Lions *DT –
Dave Fennell Dave Fennell (born February 4, 1953) is a former defensive lineman for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. After graduating from the University of North Dakota in 1973, he played for Edmonton from 1974 to 1983, and helped lead th ...
, Edmonton Eskimos *DE –
David Boone Humphrey David Boone, Jr. (October 30, 1951 – March 26, 2005) was an All-Star Canadian Football League defensive lineman, winner of 5 Grey Cups. Career Rookie Year Boone graduated from Eastern Michigan University and was drafted by the M ...
, Edmonton Eskimos *DE –
Ron Estay Ron Estay (born December 22, 1948) is a former defensive lineman for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Career After graduating from LSU Tigers football, Louisiana State University (LSU) in 1972, he was selected by the ...
, Edmonton Eskimos *LB –
Danny Kepley Daniel "Danny" Kepley (born August 24, 1953) is a former star linebacker for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. Kepley played college football at East Carolina University. He tried out with the NFL's Dallas Cowboys before star ...
, Edmonton Eskimos *LB –
Roger Goree Roger Goree (born November 4, 1951) was a football player in the Canadian Football League for eight seasons. Goree played linebacker for the Calgary Stampeders and Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1973 to 1980. He played college football at Baylor U ...
, Saskatchewan Roughriders *LB – Glen Jackson, BC Lions *DB – Paul Williams, Saskatchewan Roughriders *DB –
Larry Highbaugh Larry Highbaugh (January 14, 1949 – March 21, 2017) was an American defensive back who played with the BC Lions from 1971 to 1972 and the Edmonton Eskimos from 1972 to 1983 of the Canadian Football League. He won six Grey Cup championships whi ...
, Edmonton Eskimos *DB –
Rocky Long Roderick John Long Jr. (born January 27, 1950) is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the defensive coordinator at Syracuse. Prior to being hired by Syracuse, Long was the defensive coordinator at New Mexico. He played ...
, BC Lions *DB – Pete Lavorato, Edmonton Eskimos *DB – Joe Fourqurean, BC Lions *S –
Grady Cavness Grady Cavness (born March 1, 1947) is a former American football defensive back. He played for the Denver Broncos in 1969 and for the Atlanta Falcons in 1970. He later joined the CFL and played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers from 1972 to 1973 an ...
, BC Lions


Special teams

*P –
Lui Passaglia Lui Passaglia (born June 7, 1954) is a former professional Canadian football player. Passaglia was the placekicker/ punter for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League for a record-breaking 25 years (1976–2000) and scored more points in that ...
, BC Lions *K –
Dave Cutler David Neil Cutler Sr. (born March 13, 1942) is an American software engineer. He developed several computer operating systems, namely Microsoft's Windows NT, and Digital Equipment Corporation's RSX-11M, VAXELN, and VMS. Personal history Cu ...
, Edmonton Eskimos


1977 CFL Awards

*
CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award The Most Outstanding Player Award is annually awarded to the best player in the Canadian Football League. The two nominees for the award are the Terry Evanshen Trophy winner from the East Division, and the Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy winner from ...
Jimmy Edwards James Keith O'Neill Edwards, DFC (23 March 19207 July 1988) was an English comedy writer and actor on radio and television, best known as Pa Glum in ''Take It from Here'' and as headmaster "Professor" James Edwards in ''Whack-O!''. Early lif ...
(RB), Hamilton Tiger-Cats * CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award
Tony Gabriel Anthony Michael Peter Gabriel (born December 11, 1948) is a former professional Canadian football pass receiver who played in the Canadian Football League from 1971 to 1981. He played for both the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Ottawa Rough Riders. ...
(TE), Ottawa Rough Riders *
CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award The Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award is annually awarded to the best defensive player in the Canadian football League. The winner of the award is selected by members of the Football Reporters of Canada along with the head coaches in the CFL. ...
Danny Kepley Daniel "Danny" Kepley (born August 24, 1953) is a former star linebacker for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. Kepley played college football at East Carolina University. He tried out with the NFL's Dallas Cowboys before star ...
(LB), Edmonton Eskimos *
CFL's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award The Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award is annually awarded to the best offensive lineman in the Canadian Football League. The two nominees for the award are the Leo Dandurand Trophy winner from the East Division, and the DeMarco-Becket Memor ...
Al Wilson Aldra Kauwa Wilson (born June 21, 1977) is a former American college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons. He played college football for the University of Tennessee, and ...
(C), BC Lions *
CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie Award The Most Outstanding Rookie Award is annually awarded to the player judged to be the best player in his first year in the Canadian Football League. The two nominees for the award are the Frank M. Gibson Trophy winner from the East Division, and the ...
Leon Bright Leon "Pop" Bright, Jr. (born May 19, 1955 in Starke, Florida) is a former Gridiron football player in the Canadian Football League for four years and in the National Football League for five years. He played high school football at Merritt Isl ...
(WR),BC Lions * CFLPA's Outstanding Community Service Award
Ron Lancaster Ronald Lancaster (October 14, 1938 – September 18, 2008) was an American-Canadian professional football player and coach in the Canadian Football League (CFL). As the starting quarterback for the Saskatchewan Roughriders for 16 seasons, he ...
(QB), Saskatchewan Roughriders * CFL's Coach of the Year
Vic Rapp Victor Max Rapp (December 23, 1929 – October 24, 2016) was an American and Canadian football coach who served as the head coach of the BC Lions from 1977 to 1982. Early career Rapp was born in 1929 in Marionville, Missouri. A graduate of the Un ...
, BC Lions


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1977 Cfl Season
CFL 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 ...
Canadian Football League seasons