Liegghio kicks seven field goals as Tiger-Cats cap season with win over Redblacks

HAMILTON · The Hamilton Tiger-Cats ended their season with a 35-22 victory over the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday, powered by a record-tying kicking performance. Marc Liegghio made seven field goals, just one short of the club record, while quarterback Tre Ford threw for two touchdowns. Ottawa's season concluded with its 17th loss in 18 games, setting a CFL mark for most losses to start a year. The Redblacks also lost for the 23rd time in their last 24 contests dating back to 2025. "It wasn't the year we wanted as a team," said Ticats receiver Jaelen Gill. "We just wanted to go out with a bang, have a good last game for the fans and city of Hamilton. We just wanted to go out there and put our best foot forward, play physical, play fast … and show what we'll be bringing into next year."

Ford completed 18 of 25 passes for 170 yards and added 52 yards on the ground. His touchdown passes went to Gill and Larry Rountree III. Liegghio's seven successful kicks included a 53-yarder to end the first half, giving Hamilton a 22-9 lead. Ottawa's scoring came from three Paul Geelen field goals and two late touchdown passes from Jake Maier.

The Ticats capitalized on Ottawa mistakes, scoring 20 points off four Redblacks turnovers and a partially blocked punt. A Wynton McManis interception set up Ford's 16-yard scoring strike to Gill in the second quarter. Ryan Baker's blocked punt in the third quarter led directly to Rountree's five-yard touchdown catch that put Hamilton ahead 35-9. Ottawa quarterback Bryson Barnes, who led the team to its first win the previous week, struggled with two interceptions on 13-of-26 passing for 163 yards. Veteran Jake Maier replaced him in the fourth quarter, completing 13 of 15 passes for 131 yards and touchdowns to Ayden Eberhardt and Justin Hardy. The Redblacks' Kalil Pimpleton set a CFL single-season record with 1,834 kickoff return yards.

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"It means a lot," Pimpleton said of the record. "It says Kalil Pimpleton but that's the 2026 Ottawa Redblacks that did that. I'm just forever grateful to be able to go down in history with my brothers with those numbers." Pimpleton said the team's dismal year should be a catalyst for change. "Let's call it how it is, the 2026 Ottawa Redblacks are probably going down as one of the worst teams in sporting history," he said. "And if that doesn't motivate you, I don't know what else can."

Head coach and general manager Ryan Dinwiddie, in his first year with Ottawa, acknowledged the scale of the challenge ahead. "I think we're going to be better and we've got to find ways to get better," Dinwiddie said. "We've got to find solutions to fix this ship. This is not where we want to be." He said he has begun working with new team president Mike Morreale to improve the club. Hamilton finished the season with a 6-12 record, securing its second win in the final eight games. Both of those victories came against Ottawa, including a 34-16 win earlier this month. The Ticats have now beaten the Redblacks in six consecutive meetings and in 16 of their last 18 overall.

With files from The Canadian Press, The Globe and Mail and Sportsnet