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Welcome to the 3DownNation 112th Grey Cup live blog, courtesy of longtime contributor and managing editor John Hodge! We’ll have up-to-the-second news, insight, and analysis all afternoon and evening for your enjoyment as the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Montreal Alouettes play at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg.
Editor’s note: this page does not automatically refresh. Please do so manually to see the latest from this year’s Grey Cup.
9:48 p.m. EST — THE SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS ARE GREY CUP CHAMPIONS! Final score: SASKATCHEWAN 25, MONTREAL 17.
9:47 p.m. EST — It’s all come down to this play. Montreal needs a 55-yard touchdown pass here or this game is over.
9:46 p.m. EST — The Alouettes have converted for a first down but they’re running out of time. We’ve got six seconds left and they’ve got 55 yards to go.
9:45 p.m. EST — We’ve got another third down coming up for Montreal after Davis Alexander missed Tyson Philpot over the middle. Again, this could be the game right here.
9:44 p.m. EST — The pressure finally got to Davis Alexander there and Caleb Sanders almost made a game-winning interception. Instead, it falls incomplete.
9:43 p.m. EST — This is now the second time the Alouettes have taken a penalty on their most important drive of the season. There’s no excuse for being disorganized given the circumstances.
9:43 p.m. EST — MONTREAL CONVERTS.
9:42 p.m. EST — We’ve got a third down coming. This could be game.
9:40 p.m. EST — Davis Alexander just ran out of bounds, then grabbed his hamstring in apparent pain. He’s not coming out of the game, however, with the Grey Cup on the line.
9:39 p.m. EST — There are 58 seconds left in the game and the Alouettes have to drive the ball 87 yards for a touchdown. Let’s see if they can do it.
9:38 p.m. EST — Saskatchewan’s chewed up some time here but now their drive has come to an end. They’re punting with a little over one minute left in the 112th Grey Cup.
9:32 p.m. EST — SHEA PATTERSON FUMBLE! IT’S SASKATCHEWAN BALL! Montreal’s short-yardage quarter lost the handle at the two-yard line and the Roughriders recovered the loose ball in the end zone, which will bring it out to the 20-yard line.
9:31 p.m. EST — The seven voters for Most Valuable Player and Most Valuable Canadian have been asked for their ballots. Apparently, this is the latest they can vote as the awards need a few minutes to be prepped ahead of the final whistle.
9:30 p.m. EST — Davis Alexander just threw an absolute DOT to Tyler Snead up the west sideline for 51 yards. The receiver had a step on two defenders and Alexander made no mistake this time, not under-throwing the ball. The Alouettes are in business.
9:27 p.m. EST — The fans here are going crazy for ‘Sweet Caroline.’ If there’s one thing that can unite fans from Saskatchewan and Winnipeg, it’s Neil Diamond.
9:25 p.m. EST — The Roughriders only needed two yards for a first down but Corey Mace opted for a 39-yard field goal attempt, which Brett Lauther pushed wide right. Travis Theis brought the ball 19 yards out of the end zone to keep this a one-score game.
9:24 p.m. EST — Saskatchewan left tackle Payton Collins just left the field with an apparent leg injury, which has resulted in a shift along the offensive line. Trevon Tate has moved from left guard to left tackle, while Zack Fry has taken over at left guard.
9:21 p.m. EST — Samuel Emilus just made a remarkable catch for 33 yards along the sideline, reinforcing that he’s one of the league’s best receivers regardless of passport. As per CFL statistician Steve Daniel, Emilus now has 10 catches on the night — only two shy of the Grey Cup record.
9:19 p.m. EST — José Maltos Díaz has punched through a 23-yard field goal attempt to make this a one-score game with a little under eight minutes remaining. Hold onto your hats, folks. SASKATCHEWAN 25, MONTREAL 17.
9:16 p.m. EST — WOW! The replay centre has ruled that Davis Alexander was brought down with a horse collar tackle, giving Montreal a fresh set of downs. Upon replay, it was clear that defensive lineman Mike Rose grabbed the rear neck of Alexander’s shoulder pads to bring him down. Correct call.
9:14 p.m. EST — The Alouettes just called a wide receiver screen on second-and-eleven — a very conservative call. Regardless, it worked thanks to a great block from Cole Spieker and the shiftiness of Tyson Philpot. Montreal is in the red zone.
9:13 p.m. EST — I forgot to mention earlier that I bought a 50/50 ticket. If I win the money, I’m considering going into the winning locker room postgame to take a sip from the Grey Cup (I’m only half-joking).
9:11 p.m. EST — The Alouettes have the ball back after a Saskatchewan two-and-out and just got a first down on a five-yard pass to Tyson Philpot. Down two scores, Montreal is entering field goal range.
9:08 p.m. EST — Backup middle linebacker Aubrey Miller Jr. just took an unnecessary roughness penalty on Saskatchewan’s kickoff return, pushing the team back to its own 22-yard line. The Roughriders are still in control but they won’t be for long if they keep making mistakes like that one.
9:06 p.m. EST — Looking over my social media mentions, every Alouettes fan seems irate about Saskatchewan’s successful challenge from the second quarter, while every Roughriders fan seems furious that a flag wasn’t thrown in the first place. I guess it wouldn’t be social media if everyone wasn’t upset about something.
9:03 p.m. EST — Touchdown! Stevie Scott III has punched in an 11-yard touchdown run for the Alouettes on a nicely-called draw play. Montreal still has plenty of work to do but they’re showing signs of life here as we head into the fourth quarter. SASKATCHEWAN 25, MONTREAL 14.
9:01 p.m. EST — Montreal has been given a fresh set of downs near the end zone as Tevaughn Campbell tugged at Tyler Snead as he was about to break open into the end zone. Let’s see if the Alouettes can capitalize.
9:00 p.m. EST — The Alouettes needed that play badly. Tyson Philpot made a nice grab on a stop route, made Tevaughn Campbell miss, then turned upfield for 22 yards. Montreal’s in tough but they’re not giving up with a little over one quarter remaining.
8:59 p.m. EST — Despite a mostly sleepless week, your correspondent feels wide awake as we approach the fourth quarter, which I suspect is owing to the fact that he’s consumed enough caffeine to kill a horse.
8:54 p.m. EST — Brett Lauther is good on a field goal try from 48 yards out! Saskatchewan’s embattled kicker, who struggled badly through the first two-thirds of the season, has kept his hot streak alive and given his team a three-score lead. SASKATCHEWAN 25, MONTREAL 7.
8:51 p.m. EST — Montreal is officially in serious trouble. Davis Alexander just forced the ball into traffic and Tevaughn Campbell easily intercepted it, giving the Roughriders possession near midfield.
8:50 p.m. EST — WHAT A PLAY! Tyler Snead, who has drawn comparisons to Weston Dressler, just ran a sluggo route and Davis Alexander threw a well-placed ball over 50 yards through the air. Saskatchewan safety C.J. Reavis made a brilliant knockdown, however, timing his swat perfectly to force the incompletion. Great route, great throw, great knockdown.
8:45 p.m. EST — It looked like the Roughriders had drawn Montreal offside on their punt, which would have given Saskatchewan a fresh set of downs in Alouettes territory. Instead, the officials have called A.J. Allen for illegal procedure, which seems to have been the correct call upon replay.
8:44 p.m. EST — Montreal’s strong defensive line has been unable to generate any pressure on Trevor Harris and he’s making them pay. If the Alouettes are going to get a mistake out of Harris, they’re going to need to find a way to disrupt him.
8:39 p.m. EST — The Alouettes just went two-and-out, which was the one thing they couldn’t afford to do. Davis Alexander fled the pocket and made a nice throw on the run on second down, though Austin Mack was unable to squeeze it with Jameer Thurman in coverage. Montreal will punt.
8:37 p.m. EST — According to fan complaints in my social media feed, TSN’s broadcast has been flickering in and out. Here’s hoping any technical problems are sorted out quickly.
8:35 p.m. EST — Boom! Tommy Stevens has scored his second touchdown of the 112th Grey Cup, punching in a one-yard plunge, to give his team a two-score lead. As per CFL statistician Steve Daniel, Stevens has tied Saskatchewan’s Grey Cup rushing touchdown record. Brett Lauther added the convert to give the Green and White a 15-point lead. SASKATCHEWAN 22, MONTREAL 7.
8:34 p.m. EST — Trevor Harris just gashed Montreal’s defensive up the seam for a 34-yard throw to Tommy Nield. Saskatchewan will surely send out Tommy Nield to try to punch in the one-yard touchdown plunge.
8:31 p.m. EST — Mario Alford has started off the second half with a bang, outflanking the Montreal cover unit to the west sideline and giving Saskatchewan a first down in Alouettes territory. You could ask for a better start for the Green and White.
8:30 p.m. EST — Trevor Harris, who is still looking for his first Grey Cup win as a starter, is now 13-of-16 for 155 yards through two quarters of football. I wrote about his career earlier this week and what a win in this game would mean for his legacy.
8:24 p.m. EST — The Roughriders have a great chance to win this game. They’ve got an eight-point lead, A.J. Ouellette is rolling, Davis Alexander is rarely leaving the pocket, and Trevor Harris has had plenty of time to operate. If Saskatchewan can stay mistake-free in the second half, I like their chances of winning their fifth Grey Cup in franchise history.
8:18 p.m. EST — This is my first exposure to ‘mgk,’ whom I only recently learned no longer goes by ‘Machine Gun Kelly.’ Though I’m not familiar with his music, his performance was perfectly decent. The production value was impressive and he was donning a vintage ’24’ uniform, though I was unable to glean if it represented a specific team. The point of the halftime show is to engage young people who wouldn’t otherwise watch the Grey Cup and it seems like mgk achieved that goal.
8:05 p.m. EST — I’ve never seen a swarm of piranha devour an entire cow in 30 seconds but I’d imagine it looks the same as a group of reporters being let loose on press box pizza.
7:57 p.m. EST — Davis Alexander has finally run the ball and looked good doing it. If his hamstring is holding up, why didn’t he do this earlier? Montreal’s offence needs his mobility in order to be effective.
7:55 p.m. EST — Travis Theis just muffed a punt return for the Alouettes, though he was able to jump on the loose ball. Montreal needs to refocus during halftime. They’ve had too many missed tackles,
7:52 p.m. EST — Micah Johnson — a 37-year-old defensive tackle — just made a brilliant play to run down Montreal running back Stevie Scott III and force the Alouettes to punt. With how well the Roughriders are controlling the clock, Montreal’s attack is going to have to step it up in the second half or they’re in serious trouble.
7:50 p.m. EST — The Alouettes are doing a nice job protecting Davis Alexander but the quarterback has yet to flee the pocket and make plays with his legs. You have to wonder how badly his hamstring injury is affecting him.
7:47 p.m. EST — Montreal needs to respond here, if for no other reason than to keep Saskatchewan’s offence off the field for a bit. There’s only 2:38 left in the first half.
7:45 p.m. EST — We’ve got another touchdown! A.J. Ouellette made a nice jump cut at the line of scrimmage and ran five yards for the score to cap a 92-yard drive that chewed up over six minutes of the clock. Brett Lauther made the convert. SASKATCHEWAN 15, MONTREAL 7.
7:42 p.m. EST — The Roughriders just fell one yard shy of a first down, leading to Tommy Stevens for a quarterback sneak on third-and-one. The result? Three yards. Saskatchewan is now in first-and-goal on a drive that started on its own 18-yard line. This drive has
7:41 p.m. EST — A holding penalty on Logan Ferland just pushed Saskatchewan back to first-and-twenty. Let’s see if they can overcome the infraction.
7:40 p.m. EST — We’ve got another big play! A.J. Ouellette comes wide open on an outlet pass and takes it 32 yards up the west sideline. The Roughriders are in the red zone.
7:39 p.m. EST — Saskatchewan’s offence is starting to get into a rhythm here with Trevor Harris making quick decisions with the football and his receivers picking up yardage after the catch. You have to wonder if Montreal regrets punting for field position.
7:33 p.m. EST — The Alouettes just punted on third-and-two with the ball near midfield. Montreal’s punt cover unit was the best in the CFL during the regular season but that decision from Jason Maas felt a little conservative.
7:30 p.m. EST — Malik Carney, who left the game earlier favouring his right leg, is back on the field for Saskatchewan — great news for the Roughriders.
7:27 p.m. EST — Touchdown! Tommy Stevens, the CFL’s short yardage king, has punched in a two-yard touchdown plunge for the Roughriders. Brett Lauther made no mistake on the convert attempt, knocking it through the uprights. SASKATCHEWAN 8, MONTREAL 7.
7:24 p.m. EST — DRAMA! The Roughriders gambled on third-and-two from Montreal’s four-yard line but Kabion Ento, who dropped a would-be pick-six in the first quarter, knocked away an in-breaking throw intended for Dohnte Meyers. However, Saskatchewan challenged for pass interference and won following a relatively short review, giving the team a first down at Montreal’s two-yard line.
7:22 p.m. EST — What a play by Samuel Emilus! A.J. Ouellette made a nice block on Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund, which allowed Trevor Harris to find Emilus on a short crossing route. Emilus outran a bad angle from linebacker Geoffrey Cantin-Arku for a 24-yard gain to get the Roughriders into the red zone.
7:20 p.m. EST — The first quarter has ended. With all the anticipation that led into this game, it felt like the first quarter lasted about four minutes.
7:18 p.m. EST — Trevor Harris just tested the midrange of Montreal’s defence for the first time and it paid off as he found Dohnte Meyers for a 29-yard catch-and-run. The Alouettes have forced Harris to go through a number of reads virtually every time he’s dropped back thus far. This time, he found the right one.
7:13 p.m. EST — We’ve got our first touchdown of the game! Shea Patterson, Montreal’s short-yardage quarterback, has punched in a one-yard plunge off the left side on third-and-goal. José Maltos Díaz made the convert. SASKATCHEWAN 1, MONTREAL 7.
7:09 p.m. EST — We’ve got our first big play of the game! Tyson Philpot was wide open down the seam and Davis Alexander found him for a 37-yard gain. The throw was ugly but Philpot made a nice adjustment to the ball and secured the catch. Here’s an article I wrote on Philpot this week. Also worth noting: Malik Carney, Saskatchewan’s best pass-rusher, was injured on the play and left the field favouring his right leg.
7:05 p.m. EST — Trevor Harris and Kian Schaffer-Baker were unable to connect on second down, forcing Saskatchewan to punt. The incompletion was just as well, given that the receiver was three yards shy of a first down. Montreal’s defence is as good as any in the CFL but the Roughriders are going to have to find a way to push the ball downfield at some point if they’re going to win this game.
7:01 p.m. EST — Joseph Zema’s punt took a Montreal bounce near the goal line and rolled out of bounds at Saskatchewan’s three-yard line. The Roughriders will start this drive buried near their own end zone.
6:59 p.m. EST — Head coach Jason Maas just made a key decision for the Alouettes. Marcus Sayles was all over Charleston Rambo on a deep pass along the west sideline but there was no call from the official. Maas chose not to challenge for pass interference, possibly because his team still has second down upcoming.
6:57 p.m. EST — We have our first point! Jesse Mirco’s punt rolled into the end zone and out of bounds for a rouge. SASKATCHEWAN 1, MONTREAL 0.
6:55 p.m. EST — We almost just had the second interception of the game as Kabion Ento jumped an outlet pass from Trevor Harris intended for A.J. Ouellette but was unable to complete the catch. This marks the second time in three playoff games that Ento has dropped what likely would have been a pick-six. Saskatchewan will punt here.
6:51 p.m. EST — We’ve got a turnover! Davis Alexander looked for Tyson Philpot on a post route but the ball was under-thrown, allowing Marcus Sayles to make the interception. The veteran cornerback returned the ball 25 yards to his team’s 38-yard line. Alexander threw into double coverage on the play but Philpot had a step on both defenders — the quarterback just needed to put more air on the ball and the receiver likely would have scored.
6:50 p.m. EST — Stevie Scott III ran for nine yards on the opening play from scrimmage following a 23-yard kickoff return from Tyson Philpot.
6:48 p.m. EST — This is my eighth consecutive day of Grey Cup coverage and we’re finally about to get the opening kickoff. LET’S. GO.
6:47 p.m. EST — The video screens here just conducted a poll of the crowd, asking them to make noise if they fall into certain categories. Winnipeg fans got the loudest cheer, followed closely by Saskatchewan fans. The cheer among those rooting for Saskatchewan was a little louder than those cheering for Montreal.
6:45 p.m. EST — With rule changes incoming for next season, this could very well be the last CFL game ever where a missed field goal automatically results in a rouge. I don’t want to jinx anything, but imagine today’s game were decided on such a score?
6:43 p.m. EST — Saskatchewan has won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. Montreal will receive.
6:41 p.m. EST — Canadian prime minister Mark Carney was just introduced to a loud chorus of boos as well. I guess his decision to pick Saskatchewan did not elicit any last-second support.
6:40 p.m. EST — Proulx was just introduced to the crowd to a chorus of loud boos. I’ve never understood why fans don’t seem to like Proulx. Officiating is an extremely difficult job and he’s good at it. Then again, maybe they were yelling “Proulx!”
6:37 p.m. EST — The crowd yelled “True North!” and “Blue!” extremely loudly during the national anthem. To me, that’s confirmation that most of the fans here are locals.
6:36 p.m. EST — Métis country artist Catie St. Germain just sang the national anthem but the media was treated to a private concert from head official Andre Proulx’s, whose microphone unwittingly live in the press box. Proulx is a talented official but he won’t be selling out Carnegie Hall anytime soon.
6:33 p.m. EST — There are seven voters for Most Valuable Player and Most Valuable Canadian this year. One of them is 3DownNation reporter J.C. Abbott.
6:29 p.m. EST — The Alouettes are now entering the field of play using the same south tunnel. There is plenty of cheering, but also a strong chorus of underlying boos.
6:27 p.m. EST — The Roughriders are coming out of the tunnel on the south side of Princess Auto Stadium and heading to the east-side bench. This is the same tunnel the Blue Bombers use, though the west bench is their home side. Interestingly, the Manitoba Bisons use the east bench when they play at home.
6:25 p.m. EST — Trevor Harris just appeared on the in-house video screens for an interview with TSN and there was a strong cheer. The crowd is around 30 percent green and they’re bringing the noise.
6:20 p.m. EST — Montreal has officially confirmed that Austin Mack and Pier-Olivier Lestage are active today. Personally, I’m thrilled for Lestage. The Université de Montréal product didn’t dress when the Alouettes won the Grey Cup in 2023.
6:14 p.m. EST — Our Lady Peace is performing. Three decades after its release, ‘Starseed’ is still a banger.
6:07 p.m. EST — A couple hundred cheerleaders representing all nine CFL teams have formed a square at midfield surrounding the drum lines from Winnipeg and Edmonton. It’s a pretty awesome visual with all the different colours. According to the in-house announcer, this is the first time in Grey Cup history all nine dance teams have performed together.
6:04 p.m. EST — Canadian prime minister Mark Carney has picked the Saskatchewan Roughriders to win the 112th Grey Cup. I expect his polling in the province to substantially improve.
6:02 p.m. EST — The Grey Cup is freakin’ awesome. I know we all know this, but sometimes it’s worth reiterating.
6:00 p.m. EST — We’ve got an in-house video playing that just showed the infamous “thirteenth man” clip from the 97th Grey Cup. I’m not sure the fans in the stands — many of whom are donning green — feel thrilled about that.
5:55 p.m. EST — Four large pickup trucks adorned with lights just took the field with both teams heading back to the locker rooms. It appears we’re getting close to a performance from Our Lady Peace. Eat your heart out, elder millennial rock and roll fans.
5:50 p.m. EST — Davis Alexander is going through walkthrough with the full offence. He just rolled out of the pocket to his left and looked pretty good running full speed. He then walked around a bit, seemingly testing how his hamstring feels.
5:41 p.m. EST — The Alouettes have two offensive starters with game-time decision designations: receiver Austin Mack and left guard Pier-Olivier Lestage. We’ll have to wait another 40 minutes or so to see whether or not they’ll play.
5:34 p.m. EST — The press box has Mountain Dew Zero Sugar for the first time ever. Shout out to whoever made this possible.
5:26 p.m. EST — Montreal just had a bunch of players run out from the tunnel and they were met with a hearty round of boos. Thus far, this is clearly a Saskatchewan crowd.
5:22 p.m. EST — A slew of Roughriders just took the field to a warm reception from the crowd. The seats are probably only about 10 percent full — mind you, the concourses are packed — but I’d estimate close to half the crowd is wearing green.
5:20 p.m. EST — Davis Alexander is on the field, walking around and lightly throwing the ball to teammates. I’d suggest he has a slight limp.
5:17 p.m. EST — A special congratulations to longtime CFL reporters Judy Owen and Paul Friesen on their induction into the media wing
5:12 p.m. EST — The CFL added advertisements to the lower back of all player uniforms for the playoffs. For anyone wondering, they have remained for the Grey Cup.
5:06 p.m. EST — A warmup kick just sailed through the back of the end zone and hit a member of the security team squarely in the hands, though they dropped it. Hopefully, that’s the only bad drop we see today.
5:04 p.m. EST — We’ve just had a brief Davis Alexander sighting, though Montreal’s quarterback wasn’t yet fully in uniform. When he takes the field, we’ll report how well he’s running on his injured left hamstring.
5:00 p.m. EST — We have players in uniform! The kickers, punters, and holders for both teams have taken the field and are starting their official warmups. As was announced earlier this week, the Alouettes are wearing all-blue and the Roughriders are wearing white uniforms with green helmets and green pants.
4:48 p.m. EST — The media centre at Princess Auto Stadium is absolutely packed, which is great to see given the state of the industry. The Blue Bombers eliminated one-third of the press box this past offseason to create two extra suites, which was bizarre timing. Winnipeg probably won’t host another Grey Cup for a decade, so it would have made sense to wait one more year to do the renovation.
4:37 p.m. EST — Montreal head coach Jason Maas just told the media Davis Alexander will have to be a “bit cautious” early in the game to feel out his injured hamstring. The fiery quarterback indicated that he expects to feel somewhere between 75 and 90 percent today.
4:31 p.m. EST — Fans have started to trickle in here at Princess Auto Stadium. Unsurprisingly, a lot of them are wearing green.
4:28 p.m. EST — When asked how much confidence he has in Brett Lauther, Saskatchewan head coach Corey Mace offered the following quote: “No confidence — conviction.” Lauther had easily his worst season as member of the Roughriders in 2025 but Mace still appears to strongly believe in his abilities.
4:25 p.m. EST — That was fast. The heaters are working again.
4:22 p.m. EST — The heaters located above the front row of the press box are not working, though a maintenance person has been summoned. Hopefully, the issue is rectified soon or this will become a problem into the night.
4:16 p.m. EST — There are around 20 players warming up on the field for Montreal along with maybe a half-dozen Roughriders. They aren’t in pads yet as the official warmup won’t start for at least another hour.
4:14 p.m. EST — The weather in Winnipeg is as good as anyone could have hoped for: two degrees with minimal wind and a mix of sun and cloud. Considering the conditions at some previous Grey Cups in the Manitoba capital, these are practically idyllic.
4:11 p.m. EST — I’m extremely proud of all the content 3DownNation has produced this week. Please check it all out for insight, news, and analysis on all of this week’s pertinent topics. You can also check out the latest episode of the 3DownNation Podcast before kickoff if you’d like.
4:07 p.m. EST — The stadium wrap for this year’s Grey Cup is an awesome blue-and-yellow prairie landscape. It pops nicely in-person but it looks especially great on camera. Typically, the walls that surround the playing surface at Princess Auto Stadium are a plain blue, which is a little boring. The next time the Blue Bombers re-do their stadium wrap, it’d be smart if they opted for something reminiscent of what’s currently installed. It’s great.
4:02 p.m. EST — My official pick for this year’s Grey Cup is a 27-24 win for the Montreal Alouettes. For picks from all of our contributors, click here. I polled several CFL coaches, players, and executives this week and most gave Montreal a slight edge, though Saskatchewan is the favourite according to oddmakers.
4:00 p.m. EST — We’re finally here! Let’s do this.
This year’s Grey Cup is exclusively on TSN, RDS, and CTV in Canada, CBS Sports Network in the United States, and CFL+ globally.
