Liegghio’s late field goal earns Ticats 33-31 win over Argos

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Published Sep 20, 2024  •  2 minute read

Hamilton Tiger-Cats quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell is tackled by Toronto Argonauts defensive back Royce Metchie during second half CFL football action in Toronto on Sept. 20, 2024. Photo by Nathan Denette /The Canadian Press

Marc Liegghio’s 48-yard field goal on the final play rallied the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to a thrilling 33-31 win over the Toronto Argonauts on Friday night.

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Liegghio’s boot capped a solid seven-play, 35-yard drive with no timeouts for Hamilton. It came after Lirim Hajrullahu’s 28-yard field goal with 56 seconds remaining put Toronto ahead 31-30.

Hajrullahu’s kick came after Liegghio connected from 15 yards out at 12:50 to give Hamilton a 30-28 advantage. But Toronto starter Chad Kelly missed a wide-open DaVaris Daniels in the end zone.

And it appeared Toronto would get the ball at the Hamilton one-yard line on a pass interference call in the end zone. But it was overturned by the command centre.

Hamilton (5-9) swept the three-game season series with Toronto (7-7), its first since 2019. Overall, the Ticats have won three straight but more importantly they pulled within four points of the third-place Argos with both teams having four regular-season games remaining.

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Hamilton starter Bo Levi Mitchell was 31-of-40 passing for 362 yards and a touchdown and improved to 15-2 all-time against Toronto, to the dismay of 18,210 spectators at BMO Field.

Kelly was 17-of-26 passing for 255 yards with a touchdown and interception. He also ran for two TDs.

His one-yard TD run at 9:08 put Toronto ahead 28-27 to cap a three-play, 70-yard scoring drive.

Hajrullahu’s 43-yard field goal at 1:29 pulled Toronto to within 24-21. But Liegghio countered with a 25-yard field goal at 7:35 to put Hamilton up 27-21.

Makai Polk had Toronto’s other touchdown. Deontra McMahon had a two-point convert while Hajrullahu kicked three field goals and a convert.

Jevoni Robinson and Antre Litre scored Hamilton’s touchdowns. Liegghio finished with six field goals and two converts while Nik Constantinou added a single.

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Liegghio’s 25-yard boot at 7:35 of the third gave Hamilton a 27-18 advantage.

Litre’s two-yard TD run at 4:53 put Hamilton ahead 21-18. Liegghio made it 24-18 with a 10-yard field goal at 14:22 but it came after Toronto stopped Litre on five straight rushing attempts from its one-yard line.

The last two came when Hamilton got a fresh set of downs following a Toronto offside penalty after stopping Litre on third down.

Liegghio’s 45-yard field goal to end the second quarter cut Toronto’s lead to 18-14. But it came after a facemask penalty against tackle Brendan Bordner erased Mitchell’s 24-yard TD pass to Kiondre Smith earlier on the drive.

Kelly put Toronto ahead 18-11 with a 14-yard TD strike to Polk at 13:27. He then found McMahon for the two-point convert.

Constantinou’s 58-yard single put Hamilton ahead 11-10 at 11:26 after Kelly’s three-yard run at 8:56 made it 10-10.

Mitchell found Robinson on an eight-yard TD strike at 3:50. It was set up by Stavros Katsantonis’s interception and return to Toronto’s 19-yard line.

Hajrullahu’s 49-yard field goal at 3:17 of the first opened the scoring before Liegghio tied it with a 23-yard boot at 9:29.

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