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| Date | November 25, 2007 | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Stadium | Rogers Centre | ||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Toronto | ||||||||||||||||||
| Most Valuable Player | James Johnson, DB (Roughriders) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Most Valuable Canadian | Andy Fantuz, WR (Roughriders) | ||||||||||||||||||
| National anthem | Barenaked Ladies | ||||||||||||||||||
| Coin toss | Lieutenant-GovernorDavid Onley | ||||||||||||||||||
| Referee | Glen Johnson | ||||||||||||||||||
| Halftime show | Lenny Kravitz | ||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 52,230 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Broadcasters | |||||||||||||||||||
| Network | CBC,RDS,CBCHD | ||||||||||||||||||
| Announcers | (CBC)Mark Lee,Chris Walby,Elliotte Friedman,Sean Millington,Greg Frers,Steve Armitage andKhari Jones | ||||||||||||||||||
| Ratings | 3,539,000 in Canada | ||||||||||||||||||
The95th Grey Cup was held inToronto at theRogers Centre on November 25, 2007. TheGrey Cup, first awarded in 1909, is the championship game of theCanadian Football League. It was played between theSaskatchewan Roughriders and theWinnipeg Blue Bombers, with the Roughriders winning 23–19. It was the first Grey Cup meeting between the two teams, and was also the first time anyLabour Day Classic matchup has reoccurred in the Grey Cup.
The 95th Grey Cup was the 46thGrey Cup hosted by Toronto since the championship's inception in 1909 and the first it has hosted since 1992. SkyDome/Rogers Centre previously hosted the77th Grey Cup in 1989 and the80th Grey Cup in 1992. The game was announced as a sellout on November 19, 2007.[1] Ticket prices ranged from $94 to $560.[2]
The game was viewed by approximately 3.337 million viewers on CBC television, up from 3.202 million the previous year.[3] This was the last Grey Cup and CFL game broadcast by CBC, as TSN became the exclusive TV home for the CFL the following season.
The Grey Cup festivities began with a four-day festival that had over 50 events at several venues in downtown Toronto including theMetro Toronto Convention Centre, and theCN Tower. The festival area was bounded bySpadina Avenue east toBay Street and fromNathan Phillips Square south toLake Ontario.
On the weekend of the Grey Cup, there was a "Celebration of Football" with games hosted at the Rogers Centre at amateur, high school, and university level, including the 43rdVanier Cup, theCIS football championship. TheVanier Cup game was held on November 23, 2007, at Rogers Centre with theManitoba Bisons defeating theSaint Mary's Huskies. This marked the first time the Vanier Cup has been held in conjunction with the Grey Cup.
Confirmed festival events[4] include:
The Roughriders received the opening kickoff. The teams traded possessions back and forth until a 16-yardfield goal by Bombers kickerTroy Westwood gave Winnipeg an early 3-0 lead late in the opening quarter. Near the start of the second quarter, a Westwood punt had moved the Roughriders to their own 10 yard line, and they conceded a safety to make it 5-0. On Saskatchewan's next possession, they received an illegal block penalty and conceded their second consecutive safety to make the score 7-0 in Winnipeg's favour. Late in the second quarter, James Johnson interceptedRyan Dinwiddie's attempted pass toMilt Stegall for a game-tying touchdown.Luca Congi added a field goal on the last play of the half to put Saskatchewan ahead 10-7.
On the third play of the second half, Dinwiddie fumbled, and the Roughriders capitalized with a field goal to extend their lead to 13-7. The Bombers' offence responded quickly, with Dinwiddie throwing toDerick Armstrong for a touchdown that gave Winnipeg a 14-13 lead.
Near the end of the third quarter, Johnson's second interception of the game put Saskatchewan in position for a short field goal, untilDoug Brown appeared to stop Roughriders quarterbackKerry Joseph on third down, giving possession back to the Bombers. Saskatchewan coachKent Austin successfully challenged the placement of the ball leading to Congi retaking the lead for Saskatchewan.
On the Roughriders' first possession of the fourth quarter, Joseph passed toAndy Fantuz for a touchdown, giving Saskatchewan a 9-point lead. Another well-placed punt by Westwood led to the third conceded safety by the Roughriders, leaving the Bombers within a touchdown of tying the game. Later on, a long pass interference penalty put Winnipeg into position for another Westwood field goal to make the score 23-19. On the Bombers' final possession, Johnson intercepted Dinwiddie for a CFL record third time, sealing the 23-19 win for the Saskatchewan Roughriders[6]
