ARGOS POST-GAME NOTES: EASTERN FINAL VS SASKATCHEWAN

TALE OF THE GAME: 

• The Toronto Argonauts advanced to their first Grey Cup since 2012 with a thrilling 25-21 win over the visiting Saskatchewan Roughriders in front of the biggest crowd ever at an Argos game played at BMO Field. A late touchdown sneak by Argos QB Cody Fajardo with 39 seconds remaining sealed the win and sent the Double Blue to the 105^th Grey Cup to be played Sunday, November 26^th in Ottawa. Toronto will play the winner of the Western Division Final between Calgary and Edmonton.

WORTH NOTING:

• QB Ricky Ray completed 28 passes for 266 yards and one touchdown pass, moving the 15-year veteran into 4^th all-time in career playoff passing yards with 3,732. Ray’s 303 playoff completions are good for third all-time in CFL history. Ray led the Argos on a game-winning drive that spanned 68-yards over 10 plays and was capped off by a Cody Fajardo QB sneak to seal Saskatchewan’s fate. This will be Ray’s fifth appearance in the Grey Cup, having previously won three (EDM - 2, TOR - 1).
• LB Terrance Plummer intercepted a Kevin Glenn pass in the first quarter and returned it 39 yards for his first career CFL touchdown and to put the Argos up 7-3 early. Plummer also chipped in with three tackles on the night.
• Cassius Vaughn picked off Riders QB Brandon Bridge late in the first half. Vaughn’s first career post-season interception set up a Lirim Hajrullahu field goal to give the Argos a 17-3 edge. Vaughn also tacked on two tackles on the night.  
• After a Ricky Ray interception, it only took two plays for Toronto to get the ball back when DB Akwasi Owusu-Ansah had a knack for the football on Sunday afternoon. The third-year Argo snagged his first career playoff interception and prevented a last-minute Riders comeback with a strip fumble and recovery to seal the game. 
•  WR DeVier Posey caught three passes for 39 yards and a 17-yard touchdown. The former Ohio State Buckeye caught 52 balls for 744 yards and seven touchdowns on the year, ranking third on the team in yards this season.
• Canadian RB/WR Anthony Coombs hauled in nine passes for 77 yards, both tops for the Boatmen on the night. The former Manitoba Bison was playing in only his second game back from a shoulder injury that saw him miss 11 weeks.
• DL Shawn Lemon, who finished the season tied for fourth in the league in sacks with eight, was wreaking havoc on Saturday afternoon bringing down Rider quarterbacks three times. This is the first time an Argo player has had three sacks in a game since Week 3 when Victor Butler accomplished the feat. The 2014 Grey Cup champion also added five tackles on the night for the Argos.
• RB James Wilder once again went over 100 yards from scrimmage, tallying 52 rushing yards and 52 receiving yards, including a clutch 22-yard third-down catch on the game-winning drive. Sunday’s result marks the sixth time in his last seven games that he eclipsed 100 yards from scrimmage.
• WR Llevi Noel was a menace on special teams all day totaling four tackles. The second-year Argo finished 2017 tied for second in the CFL in special teams tackles with 27.