Argos rookie Isaiah Smith runs for 99 yards ahead of Calgary matchup
Toronto's second-round pick fell one yard short of his first 100-yard CFL game as the Argos beat Hamilton 39-20, with the team now set to visit the Calgary Stampeders.
Toronto Argonauts rookie running back Isaiah Smith rushed for 99 yards in his first career CFL start, helping the club beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 39-20 at home on Saturday night. A 10-yard run in the fourth quarter set up a Chad Kelly touchdown but left Smith one yard shy of a 100-yard game and his first CFL touchdown.
Toronto took Smith, a six-foot, 230-pound back from Guelph, 11th overall in the 2026 CFL draft. For the Hamilton game, the Argos benched rookie starter Sam Hicks and promoted Qualan Jones from the practice roster, installing Smith as the starter. The shakeup produced a season-high 145 rushing yards for Toronto, with Smith and Jones combining for 87 yards in the fourth quarter alone.
Head coach Mike Miller praised Smith's work ethic and called him a special back, noting some had doubted taking a Canadian running back so high in the draft. This season Smith has rushed for 215 yards on 46 carries with six catches for 77 yards and seven kickoff returns for 126 yards.
With the win, Toronto improved to 5-5 and moved into sole possession of second in the East Division, with a game in hand on Hamilton. The Argos next travel to Alberta to face the Calgary Stampeders on Saturday afternoon, before closing their season series with Hamilton on Labour Day, Sept. 7.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.