Hamilton Tiger-Cats running back James Butler (9) runs in a touchdown during CFL football game action against the Montreal Alouettes in Hamilton, Ont. on Saturday, August 5, 2023.Nick Iwanyshyn/The Canadian Press
Caleb Evans and Regis Cibasu scored fourth-quarter touchdowns to rally the Montreal Alouettes past the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 27-14 on Saturday night.
Montreal (4-3) moved into second in the East Division with a second straight victory. The Alouettes also won the season series – and tiebreaker – with a fourth straight regular-season win over Hamilton (3-5) and fifth in six meetings.
Evans’ one-yard TD at 2:28 of the fourth put Montreal ahead 15-14 before Cody Fajardo hit Austin Mack on a two-point convert. Fajardo’s 46-yard completion to Quartney Davis on a flea flicker highlighted the five-play, 77-yard drive but a pass interference call on Hamilton’s Tunde Adeleke in the end zone set up Evans’ run.
David Cote’s 38-yard field goal at 5:03 pushed Montreal’s lead to 20-14. It was set up by defensive lineman Shawn Lemon’s interception.
Fajardo’s 37-yard TD strike to Cibasu at 8:26 moved Montreal ahead 27-15 and cemented the victory. The Alouettes outscored the Ticats 18-0 in the fourth and 24-3 (scoring 24 straight points) in the second half, to the dismay of the Tim Hortons Field gathering of 21,467.
Fajardo finished 19-of-25 passing for 318 yards with a TD and two interceptions. Mack, who was a game-time decision, had five catches for 106 yards while William Stanback ran for 106 yards on 19 carries.
Rookie Taylor Powell, making his second CFL start, completed 20-of-31 passes for 202 yards and two interceptions for the Ticats, who fell to 1-3 this season at Tim Hortons Field.
Cote booted four field goals and a convert for Montreal.
James Butler had Hamilton’s touchdown. Marc Liegghio added a convert, two field goals and single.
Cote hit from 51 yards out to cut Hamilton’s lead to 14-9 at 14:08 of the third. It came after Jamal Davis II’s partial block of Bailey Flint’s punt put Montreal at its own 52-yard line.
Cote’s 15-yard field goal at 10:22 pulled Montreal to within 14-6.
Liegghio extended Hamilton’s lead to 14-3 with a 13-yard boot at 4:12. It was set up by Tre Crawford’s recovery of Fajardo’s fumble at the Montreal 20-yard line.
Liegghio’s missed field goal to end the first half staked Hamilton to an 11-3 advantage. Liegghio was wide left from 51 yards out but Carthell Flowers-Lloyd tackled Montreal returner Chandler Worthy in the end zone for the single.
It was a fitting end to an opening half that featured three missed field goals (two by Cote) and four turnovers (two for each side). Both teams also combined for 11 penalties for 110 yards.
Cote seemed poised to pull Montreal to within 10-6 but hit the upright from 45 yards out. That gave Hamilton its final possession.
Liegghio’s 44-yard field goal at 13:17 staked Hamilton to a 10-3 advantage. He connected from 39 yards out but the Ticats were flagged for no end and pushed back five yards.
Cote pulled Montreal to within 7-3 with a 34-yard field goal at 12:34. It was set up by J.R. Reid’s interception.
Butler opened the scoring with a four-yard TD run at 2:39 of the second.
It was a scoreless but eventful opening quarter. There were three turnovers (fumble recovery by Montreal’s Tyrice Beverette, two interceptions by Hamilton’s Richard Leonard), Cote’s missed 38-yard field goal and Mack’s two receptions for 77 yards.
The Alouettes host the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Friday, while the Tiger-Cats have a bye week and then host the Edmonton Elks on Aug. 17.