After defeating the heavily-favoured Calgary Stampeders to win last November’s Grey Cup, the Ottawa REDBLACKS will kick off the 2017 season with not just a championship rematch, but a home-and-home series against Calgary to kick off the new campaign. Up first, the Stampeders visit TD Place on Friday night.
Here are five things you need to to know ahead of the highly anticipated tilt:
1. REDBLACKS quarterback Trevor Harris faced the Stampeders twice during the regular season last year. Harris passed for 396 yards and three touchdowns on July 8 and 289 yards and two touchdowns on September 17. Calgary quarerback Bo Levi Mitchell threw for 368 and 361 yards in the same two games before completing 28 of 41 passes for 391 yards and two touchdowns in the Grey Cup game.
2. REDBLACKS quarterback Drew Tate, who signed with Ottawa as a free agent during the off-season, spent his entire eight-year CFL career in Calgary before moving east.
3. REDBLACKS receiver Brad Sinopoli started his CFL career as a quarterback with the Stampeders in 2011 before making the move to receiver for the 2013 season. Sinopoli caught six passes for 94 yards and a touchdown in the Grey Cup game to help Ottawa claim its first championship in 40 years.
4. The Grey Cup game between the eventual champion REDBLACKS and Stampeders was just the third championship game to go to overtime and first since 2005 when Edmonton beat Montreal 38-35 at Vancouver’s BC Place.
5. After being released by Calgary 10 games into last season, linebacker Taylor Reed signed with the REDBLACKS and had 39 tackles and a sack in eight regular season games before winning the Grey Cup against his former team.
Fewer than 1000 tickets are left for the June 23 rematch. Get yours today by clicking here, by calling 613.232.6767 X1, or in person at The Box Office at TD Place.
