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Stampeders, RedBlacks play to crazy tie

Andre Ringuette/Freestyle Photo / Getty Images Sport / Getty

An early potential Grey Cup preview that neither team seemed to want to win fittingly ended in a 26-26 tie, with Christopher Milo kicking a game-ending 20-yard field goal to just barely keep the Ottawa RedBlacks' undefeated record intact.

The Calgary Stampeders (1-1-1) and the Redblacks (2-0-1) each settled for field goals twice during the minigame at TD Place. Bo Levi Mitchell, who was 29-of-43 for 368 yards and two touchdowns, misfired twice from the Ottawa 4-yard line on Calgary's second possession, forcing Calgary to settle for an 11-yard Rene Paredes chip shot. Ottawa had a chance to beat Calgary at home in overtime for the second time in a row, but Greg Ellingson just missed making an acrobatic catch inside the five-yard line.

Ottawa had a chance to seal the win in the first OT, but safety Jermaine Robinson dropped an interception on an underthrown ball. Paredes kicked a tying 42-yard field goal on the next play.

The Stampeders got to overtime after Nic Grigsby, starting at running back just four days after being signed from Ottawa, fumbled at the goal line in the final minute. Calgary defensive lineman Alex Singleton, making up for a roughing the passer penalty that had helped Ottawa get in the red zone, helped jar the ball loose.

That was Ottawa's second red-zone turnover on the night. Trevor Harris, on an otherwise on-point night, was picked off in the end zone by rookie cornerback Tommie Campbell when he threw late over the middle. Campbell cut in front of Ellingson for his first CFL interception.

For Ottawa, which has an East Division first-place showdown against the Toronto Argonauts (2-1) next Wednesday at BMO Field, the points left on the field overshadowed another eye-popping night from wide receiver Chris Williams. The league's leading receiver scored all three RedBlacks touchdowns as part of a 10-catch, 130-yard night. Williams has 493 yards through three weeks, the most through three games in CFL history.

Harris was 39-of-50 for 396 yards with three touchdowns and the interception, which was his first this season. Grigsby had 14 rushes for 65 yards and five catches for 38, but undid that contribution with the late fumble. Ellingson also had nine catches for 101 yards.

Jerome Messam and Marquay McDaniel scored the Stampeders touchdowns, while Paredes was 4-for-5 on field goals, with his miss going for a single. Milo was 2-for-4 and also missed a convert, while RedBlacks rookie punter Zach Medeiros added a single on an 80-yard kickoff.

Messam had just 12 touches, with eight rushes for 32 yards and four receptions for 24 yards. The star national running back tied the game with a four-yard scoring catch with 2:44 left on a deft touch pass from Mitchell.

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