89th Grey Cup at Olympic Stadium in Montreal

Stampeders 27
Blue Bombers 19

SCORING SUMMARY
First quarter
Wpg — Troy Westwood 29-yard FG
Wpg — Westwood single on missed 49-yard FG
Second quarter
Cgy — Mark McLoughlin 37-yard FG
Cgy — Marc Boerigter 68-yard TD pass from Marcus Crandell (McLoughlin convert)
Cgy — Travis Moore 9-yard TD pass from Crandell (McLoughlin convert)
Third quarter
Wpg — Arland Bruce III 23-yard TD pass from Khari Jones (Westwood convert)
Wpg — Westwood single on missed 54-yard FG
Fourth quarter
Cgy — Willie Fells 11-yard TD return on blocked punt (McLoughlin convert)
Wpg — Milt Stegall 23-yard TD pass from Jones (Westwood convert)
Cgy — McLoughlin 24-yard FG

Following a regular season that saw the Calgary Stampeders post an 8-10 record, this undoubtedly was the least likely of the Red and White’s six Grey Cup victories.

The Stamps entered the game as massive underdogs and watched as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers — who were coming off a 14-4 regular season — dominated the Canadian Football League awards ceremony during the preceding week. But the Stamps, having already surprised the Edmonton Eskimos and BC Lions in the West Division playoffs, obviously relished the underdog role as they completed a remarkable in-season turnaround. Calgary began the year with four straight losses and had just three wins on Labour Day, but the Stamps rallied in the second half of the campaign.

After falling behind the Blue Bombers 4-0 at Olympic Stadium in Montreal, the Stamps erupted for 17 points in the second quarter.

Mark McLoughlin started the run with a 37-yard field goal. Then, trailing 4-3 late in the second quarter, Calgary quarterback Marcus Crandell hit a streaking Marc Boerigter down the left hash marks for a 68-yard touchdown. The Stampeders struck again before intermission when Calgary flooded the right side with receivers and Crandell hit Travis Moore for a nine-yard score.

The Stamps led 17-4 at halftime but Arland Bruce III caught a touchdown pass from Khari Jones shortly after the restart to narrow the gap.

The game’s pivotal play came early in the fourth quarter when Calgary’s Aldi Henry — who had also made a big play in the Stamps’ 1998 Grey Cup victory — blocked a Bob Cameron punt and Stamps linebacker Willie Fells returned the ball 11 yards for a touchdown.

The Blue Bombers fought back as Jones hit Milt Stegall who made a remarkable 23-yard touchdown reception. But once again the Stampeders pulled further ahead. Stuck on the Calgary 11 with time ticking down, Crandell threw to running back Kelvin Anderson on a sideline pattern. Anderson slipped past Marvin Coleman for a 44-yard gain. Three plays later, Mark McLoughlin kicked a 24-yard field goal.

There was one final comeback attempt by Winnipeg. With the Blue Bombers on the Calgary 36 with time running out, Jones was driven by Stampeders defensive tackle Joe Fleming into the turf for a game-ending sack. It was a game of missed opportunity for the Blue Bombers, who repeatedly got near or into Calgary territory and came away empty-handed. Winnipeg kicker Troy Westwood missed three of four field goal attempts.

The attendance of 65,255 at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium was the second-largest crowd to date to witness a Grey Cup.