Skip to content

Ti-Cats stomp Argos in season opener at BMO Field

Carlos Osorio / Toronto Star / Getty

The home field looked nice, but the home team did not.

The Toronto Argonauts opened their season at BMO Field with a dud against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, losing the CFL season opener 42-20 to their QEW rivals.

Hamilton started the scoring early, forcing Toronto to concede a safety on the Argos' very first offensive possession. The Ti-Cats kept the pressure on with a 39-yard touchdown pass from Jeremiah Masoli to Andy Fantuz that stretched the lead to 9-0 early in the first quarter.

Masoli looked comfortable all night while filling in for the injured Zach Collaros. He finished his night with 318 yards and three touchdowns, and completed nearly 73 percent of his pass attempts.

With the help of Masoli's arm and a suffocating defence, Hamilton took an 18-6 lead into halftime. The Ti-Cats started the second half much like they did the first, picking off Ricky Ray to start the third quarter and returning the deflected pass 37 yards for another score.

Ray finished the game 26-of-36 for 282 yards, two touchdowns, and a pick.

The Argos briefly made the contest competitive midway through the third frame, as a couple of quick touchdowns from Ray to Vidal Hazelton pulled them to within a field goal, but the Ti-Cats pulled away yet again. A 19-yard touchdown pass from Masoli to Brandon Banks put Hamilton up 29-20 late in the third, and the the Ti-Cats coasted the rest of the way.

Chad Owens made his return to Toronto and heard boos from the crowd that rooted him on just one year ago. The former CFL MOP finished the game with six receptions for 67 yards and a touchdown.

Toronto defensive back Jeremaine Gabriel was stretchered off the field in the fourth quarter with an apparent neck injury, but was moving his arms and legs.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox