The Calgary Stampeders will face the Toronto Argonauts in the 105st Grey Cup after defeating the Eskimos in the Western Final by a score of 32-28.

The decision by Eskimos' head coach Jason Maas to send out the field goal unit when his team was down 32-25 late in the fourth quarter would prove costly as the Eskimos' would not regain possession. Eskimos' placekicker Sean Whyte's 20 yard field goal attempt with 1:56 was successful to reduce the Stampeders' lead to 32-28.

The subsequent Stampeders' drive ate a significant amount of clock and a fumble by Eskimos' Jamill Smith on the punt return secured  the Stamps' the victory..

***Scoring Summary***

The Eskimos opened the scoring on Sunday afternoon as running back C.J. Gable scampered into the end zone from eight yards out on a third-and-one. The convert gave the Eskimos a 7-0 lead with 8:55 remaining in the opening quarter.

Following a stalled Stampeders drive that ended with a punt, Esks quarterback Mike Reilly found a wide open Derel Walker for a 69-yard touchdown strike to extend the lead to 14-0 with 6:16 left in the first.

At the end of the first quarter, the Stampeders faced a 14-0 deficit but the team had moved the ball into Edmonton territory.

Bo Levi Mitchell capped the 73-yard drive early in the second quarter with a 10-yard touchdown strike to Marquay McDaniel. With the Rene Paredes convert, the Stamps found themselves on the wrong side of a 14-7 score with 13:59 left in the half.

With 3:23 left in the half, Marken Michel took the handoff from Mitchell and found his way 13 yards to the house. The Eskimos and Stampeders are tied at 14-14.

A missed 42-yard field goal attempt off the foot of Eskimos placekicker Sean Whyte resulted in a single point and the Eskimos regained the lead by a score of 15-14.

Roy Finch gave the Stampeders their first lead of the game with 22 seconds left in the half as the running back took a shuffle pass in the backfield and ran 50 yards for the major. Jerome Messam converted the two point attempt and the Stampeders were up 22-15.

Stats at the half:

Passing leaders:

  • Reilly (EDM) 9-16, 146 yards, 1 TD
  • Mitchell (CGY) 14-19, 139 yards, 1 TD

Rushing leaders:

  • Finch (CGY) 4-81, 1 TD
  • Gable (EDM) 5-15, 1 TD

Receiving leaders

  • Walker (EDM) 3-86, 1 TD
  • Jorden (CGY) 4-40

Rene Paredes extended the Stampeders lead on the opening kickoff of the second half as the Eskimos conceded the single point.

Sean Whyte attempted to cut into the Stampeders lead at the end of the Eskimos first drive of the second half but his 30-yard field goal try during strong wind gusts plunked off the left upright. The Stampeders continued to enjoy a 23-15 advantage.

A Jerome Messam touchdown run capped an 85-yard drive that included a 51 yard passing play to Kamar Jorden to give Calgary a 30-15 lead with 5:53 remaining in the third quarter.

On the subsequent drive, the Eskimos gave Sean Whyte his third attempt at kicking in the afternoon wind gusts and the kicker successfully split the uprights from 34-yards out. The Stampeders lead was cut to 30-18.

Paredes' first field goal attempt of the afternoon, from 52 yards out, was wide right and Edmonton elected to concede another single point. 31-18 Stampeders.

The Eskimos cut into the Stamps' lead as Mike Reilly punched in a touchdown from one yard out following a 30-yard pass to Vidal Hazelton who was pushed out of bounds just shy of the goal line. With the convert, the Eskimos reduced the Stampeders lead to a single score. With 7:35 left in regulation, the Stampeders were up 31-25.

A Stampeders' drive stalled after head coach Dave Dickenson's challenge of illegal contact was unsuccessful. Rob Mavers' punt sailed 53 yards into the end zone and the Stamps' lead extended to seven. The Eskimos trailed 32-25 with 5:01 to play.

Facing a third-and-four deep in Stampeders' territory, the Eskimos elected to bring out the field goal unit and Sean Whyte cut into the gap. The Stampeders were up 32-28 and started the drive on their own 25 yard line with 1:37 left in regulation.

Jason Maas's decision to kick the field goal would prove costly as his defence was able to stop the Stampeders' drive but the Eskimos fumbled the ball on the punt return.