HAMILTON — Seth Small and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats still control their playoff destiny.
Small’s 30-yard field goal in a brisk wind on the final play earned Hamilton a thrilling 30-27 CFL win over the Ottawa Redblacks on Friday night.
The Ticats (7-10) edged out Saskatchewan (6-10) in the battle for the third and final East Division playoff spot as the Riders took on the Calgary Stampeders (10-6) on Saturday night.
Regardless of what Saskatchewan does, Hamilton can cement third place with a win next week in Ottawa. The Rougenoirs (4-13), who were eliminated from postseason competition with the loss, are 0-8 at TD Place.
Hamilton ends the regular season 6-3 at Tim Hortons Field, having won six of its last seven there.
“It’s exciting, I think it’s something this team has deserved,” Small said. “We didn’t start off the best at the start of the season, but we kind of found our true selves and who we are and coach Oh (head coach Orlondo Steinauer) led that.
“We’re excited to know where we’re going. We’re hot for a Gray Cup.”
Small’s fifth goal of the game capped a six-game 45-yard drive in a brisk 30-kilometer wind. Veteran Matt Shiltz replaced injured starter Dane Evans (right thumb) in the fourth quarter and had a key 25-yard run on the final walk.
“It was typical Hamilton wind there,” Small said. “You can allow him to be a factor as much as you want.
“I told (Ticats coaches) the 40-yard line before the game was where I felt comfortable. You just try to hit a clean ball and it will go straight.
Hamilton earned a sixth straight win over Ottawa and a third straight win overall. In the three triumphs, Small scored 13 field goals.
“I think CFL stands for Crazy Fun League,” said Small, in his first season with Hamilton. “I’m having fun here.”
Ottawa’s Caleb Evans set a single-season CFL record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback. He ran for two majors, giving him 15 before a sellout at Tim Hortons Field of 24,062.
The previous mark was 14 set in 1991 by Doug Flutie of British Columbia and later tied in 2018 by James Franklin of Toronto.
Ottawa went all out with the wind – 21 points in second, six in fourth. Hamilton managed more runs in the breeze (14 in the fourth) than he did with (13).
Dane Evans put Hamilton ahead 24-21 just 22 seconds from fourth. After scoring on a two-yard run, Evans found Tyler Ternowski on the two-run convert, but left later in the quarter with a right thumb injury after an 11-yard run.
“It’s the CFL and two quarterbacks are going to have to play,” Shiltz said. “We’ll see how Dane feels and I’m praying he’s okay, but otherwise it’s like any other position on the pitch, he’s the next man. That’s my mentality.”
Shitlz completed three of four passes for 43 yards. Evans completed 16 of 29 passes for 220 yards and an interception and also lost a fumble.
Hamilton’s Sean Thomas Erlington rushed for a record 104 yards on 13 carries. Tim White had seven catches for 113 yards.
“I can’t say enough,” Steinauer said of Thomas Erlington. “This guy just shows up when called, he’s stable.
“He took a few shots and fell forward and was able to keep us running.”
Evans’ TD was set up by Ottawa quarterback Nick Arbuckle’s Cedric Wilcots II sack strip who gave Hamilton possession at the Ottawa 29-yard line late in the third. Lewis Ward’s 36-yard field goal at 3:48 tied the game 24-24.
Arbuckle completed 19 of 27 passes for 166 yards as Ottawa lost the game despite winning 4-1 in the turnover battle.
“It’s not often you’re going to win a bunch of games when you lose the take-out battle, but it just shows it can be done,” Steinauer said. “We had the wind to start the half but we didn’t do much until the very end, and that was the main thing.
“We’ve done a decent job all season…moving the ball in the wind and coming away with some sort of points.”
Small’s 27-yard field goal at 8:52 put Hamilton ahead 27-24 before Ward made it 27-27 with a 51-yard kick at 13:17.
Small’s 38-yard field goal at 13:13 of the third put Hamilton within 21-16.
Brandin Dandridge had the other TD for Ottawa. Ward kicked the converts and two field goals.
Evans scored both of Hamilton’s touchdowns. Small added the converts.
Ottawa led 21-13 at halftime, scoring all of its points in the second quarter with the wind. Hamilton scored 10 points in the first.
Evans’ one-yard run at 10:25 of the second — he kicked the ball after scoring his record touchdown — at 10:25 gave Ottawa a 21-10 advantage. Small shot from 23 meters at 13:02 to complete the score of the first half.
Dandridge gave Ottawa a 14-10 lead at 3:38. He scored on a 51-yard return after stripping Hamilton receiver Steven Dunbar Jr. after a 15-yard reception.
It came shortly after Evans’ two-yard run put Ottawa within 10-7 at 2:44 to complete a 10-play, 81-yard walk on the Redblacks’ first possession with the wind. .
Hamilton started with the breeze on his back after Ottawa won the toss and postponed. The Ticats lost a fumble, a punt and a failed 53-yard field goal attempt on their first three possessions before Small opened the scoring with a 37-yard field goal at 8:05.
Evans put Hamilton ahead 10-0 with a yard run on third down at 1:15.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on October 21, 2022.
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