We head to Vancouver, BC for the 111th Grey Cup which features the Toronto Argonauts as they take on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Argos overcame last year’s road block as they knocked off last year’s Eastern Champs Montreal Alouettes, but not without paying a hefty price.

The Blue Bombers on the other hand look to build on what some refer to as a ‘dynasty’ as they make their 5th consecutive trip to the Grey Cup. Winnipeg of course losing last year to the Montreal Alouettes in a close battle ending in a 28-24 final.

This will be a rematch of the 2022 Grey Cup where Toronto edged out Winnipeg 24-23. The Bombers won the previous two years as they look to take their third cup in 5 years this Sunday.

Believe it or not, this will be the 8th time the Argonauts and Blue Bombers have met in the Grey Cup, Toronto winning all 7 matchups.

The main storyline is the Argos quarterback situation, as star QB Chad Kelly broke his ankle in the 4th quarter against the Alouettes, propelling backup QB journeyman Nick Arbuckle into his first ever CFL Playoff action as a quarterback.

Even though Toronto hung on for a 30-28 victory to win the east, the Blue Bombers will pose a drastically different challenge. The Argos will be up against the best defense in the league, as Winnipeg posted a league low 20.3 points allowed per game. Combine that with their intimidating run game, led by hometown hero Brady Oliveira, who led the league for a second consecutive season, this is a tall order for a banged up Argos squad. That being said, Toronto did out-rush Winnipeg this year in total yards. 

The line currently sides with the Blue Bombers at 9 point favorites. The spread has been as tight as 7 points and moved as wide as 10.5 throughout the week, largely due to Kelly’s injury.

The big question is, will Arbuckle have what it takes to weather the storm against the powerhouse Blue Bombers lead by seasoned vet Zach Collaros. Although Zach has led the Bombers to their fifth straight Grey Cup, his inability to close in the last two have been concerning as his struggles have been mounting. Collaros has also thrown almost as many interceptions (15) as he’s thrown touchdowns this season.

Expect this to be a real slugfest, tightly contested and low scoring. If you can buy a few points for insurance, taking the Argos feels like the call to cover the spread. The over is set at 50.5 points which feels like it could hit, but not by much

Prediction: Winnipeg Blue Bombers 30 – Toronto Argonauts 24