Elks beat Ticats 27-12, clinch home playoff game
Edmonton improved to 12-4 with a fourth-quarter surge in Hamilton, sweeping its season series with the Tiger-Cats.
The Edmonton Elks defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 27-12 on Friday night, with Zach Mathis, Cody Fajardo and ShunDerrick Powell all scoring touchdowns in the fourth quarter. The win pushed Edmonton to 12-4 and clinched the team a home playoff game.
Mathis provided the game's biggest play, returning an interception 48 yards for a touchdown after picking off a surprise pass attempt from Hamilton punter Nik Constantinou. Isaiah Wooden answered with an 87-yard kickoff return touchdown to cut the deficit to 21-12, but a two-point convert attempt failed. Powell capped the scoring with a five-yard touchdown run after Hamilton turned the ball over on downs.
Fajardo completed 16 of 25 passes for 229 yards and ran for a touchdown, while Hamilton's Harrison Frost went 21-of-36 for 221 yards. The game was low-scoring through three quarters, with the teams combining for 18 punts. Edmonton kicker Vincent Blanchard added two field goals, a single and two converts, while Hamilton's Marc Liegghio kicked two field goals.
The victory was Edmonton's second straight over Hamilton (5-12), following a 37-35 double-overtime win on Sept. 26 that eliminated the Tiger-Cats from playoff contention. It marked Edmonton's first season sweep of Hamilton since 2017. The Elks next host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Oct. 16, while Hamilton has a bye week.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.