81st Grey Cup
Encyclopedia
The 81st Grey Cup was the 1993
Canadian Football League
championship game played between the Edmonton Eskimos
and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
at McMahon Stadium
in Calgary, Alberta. The Eskimos defeated the Blue Bombers 33-23 to win the Grey Cup
.
, Jim Sandusky
; FGs, Sean Fleming (6); cons., Fleming (2); singles, Fleming.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers (23) - TDs, Michael Richardson, Sammy Garza
; FGs, Troy Westwood
(3); cons., Troy Westwood
(2).
First Quarter
EDM – TD Floyd 4-yard run (Fleming convert)
EDM – TD Sandusky 2-yard pass from Damon Allen (Fleming convert)
EDM – FG Fleming
Second Quarter
EDM – Single Fleming
EDM – FG Fleming 26-yard field goal
WPG - TD Richardson 3-yard run (Westwood convert)
EDM – FG Fleming
WPG – FG Westwood
Third Quarter
WPG - TD Garza 1-yard run (Westwood convert)
Fourth Quarter
WPG – FG Westwood 32-yard field goal
EDM – FG Fleming
EDM – FG Fleming
WPG – FG Westwood
EDM – FG Fleming
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers
returned to the Grey Cup
in 1993 but once again they were foiled by an Alberta
club.
The Edmonton Eskimos
went out in front 21-0 before hanging on to their 11th Grey Cup title. The Blue Bombers cut their deficit to 24-20 in the fourth quarter before yielding to defeat again.
Winnipeg miscues in the first quarter led to its downfall. The Eskimos took advantage of a blocked punt, a fumbled kickoff return and an interception within the first 10 minutes of the game. Lucius Floyd
scored on a four-yard carry, while Jim Sandusky
caught a two-yard pass from Damon Allen
. Sean Fleming added a field goal at the end of the quarter.
Another Winnipeg fumble in the second quarter, this time on a punt return, put the Eskimos in front by three converted touchdowns following Fleming’s 26-yard field goal.
The Blue Bombers finally got on the scoreboard late in the first half on Michael Richardson’s three-yard run. Both teams exchanged field goals as Edmonton held a 24-10 lead at halftime.
Winnipeg made a game of it in the second half, as quarterback Sam Garza scored on a one-yard keeper. The Blue Bombers closed the gap to four on Troy Westwood
’s 32-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
But Edmonton’s offence got back on track to close out the game. Fleming booted three field goals for a record-tying six for the game. Westwood managed just one other.
Winnipeg was still within a touchdown with two minutes and 44 seconds remaining, but Allen put together a 12-play drive leading to Fleming’s final field goal.
1993 CFL season
The 1993 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 40th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 36th Canadian Football League season.-CFL news in 1993:...
Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
championship game played between the Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
at McMahon Stadium
McMahon Stadium
McMahon Stadium is a Canadian football stadium located in Calgary, Alberta. The stadium is owned by the University of Calgary and operated by the McMahon Stadium Society....
in Calgary, Alberta. The Eskimos defeated the Blue Bombers 33-23 to win the Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
.
Game summary
Edmonton Eskimos (33) - TDs, Lucius FloydLucius Floyd
Lucius Floyd is a former Grey Cup champion and award winning running back in the Canadian Football League.Floyd played his college football at University of Nevada, Reno...
, Jim Sandusky
Jim Sandusky
Jim Sandusky was a Canadian Football League receiver for the BC Lions and the Edmonton Eskimos who, in a 12 year career from 1984–1996, caught 586 passes for 9737 yards and 69 touchdowns. Sandusky played college football at San Diego State University and was the Most Valuable Player of the 1984...
; FGs, Sean Fleming (6); cons., Fleming (2); singles, Fleming.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers (23) - TDs, Michael Richardson, Sammy Garza
Sammy Garza
Samuel Mayorga Garza Jr. is a former professional quarterback in the NFL & CFL.After being drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the eighth round of the 1987 NFL Draft, Garza was cut in the pre-season. He then signed with the St. Louis Cardinals as a Replacement player...
; FGs, Troy Westwood
Troy Westwood
Troy Westwood is a Canadian Football League place kicker and punter who played 17 years for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers....
(3); cons., Troy Westwood
Troy Westwood
Troy Westwood is a Canadian Football League place kicker and punter who played 17 years for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers....
(2).
First Quarter
EDM – TD Floyd 4-yard run (Fleming convert)
EDM – TD Sandusky 2-yard pass from Damon Allen (Fleming convert)
EDM – FG Fleming
Second Quarter
EDM – Single Fleming
EDM – FG Fleming 26-yard field goal
WPG - TD Richardson 3-yard run (Westwood convert)
EDM – FG Fleming
WPG – FG Westwood
Third Quarter
WPG - TD Garza 1-yard run (Westwood convert)
Fourth Quarter
WPG – FG Westwood 32-yard field goal
EDM – FG Fleming
EDM – FG Fleming
WPG – FG Westwood
EDM – FG Fleming
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
returned to the Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
in 1993 but once again they were foiled by an Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
club.
The Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
went out in front 21-0 before hanging on to their 11th Grey Cup title. The Blue Bombers cut their deficit to 24-20 in the fourth quarter before yielding to defeat again.
Winnipeg miscues in the first quarter led to its downfall. The Eskimos took advantage of a blocked punt, a fumbled kickoff return and an interception within the first 10 minutes of the game. Lucius Floyd
Lucius Floyd
Lucius Floyd is a former Grey Cup champion and award winning running back in the Canadian Football League.Floyd played his college football at University of Nevada, Reno...
scored on a four-yard carry, while Jim Sandusky
Jim Sandusky
Jim Sandusky was a Canadian Football League receiver for the BC Lions and the Edmonton Eskimos who, in a 12 year career from 1984–1996, caught 586 passes for 9737 yards and 69 touchdowns. Sandusky played college football at San Diego State University and was the Most Valuable Player of the 1984...
caught a two-yard pass from Damon Allen
Damon Allen
Damon Allen is a former professional quarterback in the Canadian Football League, most recently with the Toronto Argonauts. He is currently second in all-time professional football passing yards and second in all-time CFL passing yards after he was surpassed for first place by the Montréal...
. Sean Fleming added a field goal at the end of the quarter.
Another Winnipeg fumble in the second quarter, this time on a punt return, put the Eskimos in front by three converted touchdowns following Fleming’s 26-yard field goal.
The Blue Bombers finally got on the scoreboard late in the first half on Michael Richardson’s three-yard run. Both teams exchanged field goals as Edmonton held a 24-10 lead at halftime.
Winnipeg made a game of it in the second half, as quarterback Sam Garza scored on a one-yard keeper. The Blue Bombers closed the gap to four on Troy Westwood
Troy Westwood
Troy Westwood is a Canadian Football League place kicker and punter who played 17 years for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers....
’s 32-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
But Edmonton’s offence got back on track to close out the game. Fleming booted three field goals for a record-tying six for the game. Westwood managed just one other.
Winnipeg was still within a touchdown with two minutes and 44 seconds remaining, but Allen put together a 12-play drive leading to Fleming’s final field goal.
Trivia
- Sean Fleming, who hit 6 field goals to win the Grey Cup Most Valuable CanadianGrey Cup Most Valuable CanadianThe Dick Suderman Trophy for the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian is awarded annually to the Canadian player deemed to have the best performance in the Grey Cup game, the championship of the Canadian Football League....
award, tied a Grey CupGrey CupThe Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
record held by Don SweetDon SweetDon Sweet, , was a star football kicker for the Montreal Alouettes and Montreal Concordes of the Canadian Football League.-College years:...
of the Montreal AlouettesMontreal AlouettesThe Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
(65th Grey Cup65th Grey CupThe 65th Grey Cup, played on November 27, 1977 and also known as The Ice Bowl, was the 1977 Grey Cup Canadian Football League championship final between the Montreal Alouettes and the Edmonton Eskimos...
) and Paul OsbaldistonPaul OsbaldistonPaul Osbaldiston is a former punter and placekicker for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League from 1986-2003. Osbaldiston was a three-time CFL All-Star, seven-time East Division All-Star and a member of Hamilton’s 1986 and 1999 Grey Cup championship teams...
of the Hamilton Tiger-CatsHamilton Tiger-CatsThe Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
(74th Grey Cup74th Grey CupThe 74th Grey Cup was the 1986 Canadian Football League championship game that was played at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, between the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Edmonton Eskimos...
).
- Edmonton EskimosEdmonton EskimosThe Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
centre Rod ConnopRod ConnopRod Connop is a former professional Canadian football player with the Canadian Football League Edmonton Eskimos. Connop spent his entire 16-year career with the Eskimos as an offensive lineman. Connop played CIS football at Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks...
was the only player that was a part of the team's dynasty years from 1978 to 1982.
- This was the second Grey CupGrey CupThe Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
game to be played in CalgaryCalgaryCalgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
. The temperature was a balmy six degrees Celsius, compared to the first CalgaryCalgaryCalgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
game (63rd Grey Cup63rd Grey CupThe 63rd Grey Cup was played on November 23, 1975 before 32,454 fans at McMahon Stadium at Calgary. The Edmonton Eskimos won an extremely close game, decided on the last play, against the Montreal Alouettes by the score 9 to 8.-Box Score:...
) when it was minus 15 degrees Celsius with a wind of 25 kilometres per hour.
- The Blue Bombers lost the ball a total of seven times on turnovers with 23 of Edmonton’s points coming off Winnipeg’s miscues. It was Edmonton’s eighth-straight victory to close out the year.
- Blue Bombers quarterback Matt DuniganMatt DuniganMatt Dunigan is a former quarterback, coach, and executive in the Canadian Football League who is currently a CFL sportscaster for Canadian sports television channel TSN...
did not play because of an AchillesAchillesIn Greek mythology, Achilles was a Greek hero of the Trojan War, the central character and the greatest warrior of Homer's Iliad.Plato named Achilles the handsomest of the heroes assembled against Troy....
’ tendon injury, and was replaced by Garza.
- Referee Dave Yule suffered a ruptured calf muscle in the second quarter, forcing alternate Ken Lazaruk into action.
West Division
- Semi-final (November 14 @ Edmonton, Alberta) Edmonton EskimosEdmonton EskimosThe Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
51-13 Saskatchewan RoughridersSaskatchewan RoughridersThe Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
- Semi-final (November 14 @ Calgary, Alberta) Calgary StampedersCalgary StampedersThe Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
17-9 BC LionsBC LionsThe BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
- Final (November 19 @ Calgary, Alberta) Edmonton EskimosEdmonton EskimosThe Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
29-15 Calgary StampedersCalgary StampedersThe Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
East Division
- Semi-final (November 13 @ Hamilton, OntarioHamilton, OntarioHamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
) Hamilton Tiger-CatsHamilton Tiger-CatsThe Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
21-10 Ottawa Rough RidersOttawa Rough RidersThe Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. One of the oldest and longest lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup championship nine times. Their most dominant era was the 1960s and 1970s, a...
- Final (November 19 @ Winnipeg, Manitoba) Winnipeg Blue BombersWinnipeg Blue BombersThe Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
20-19 Hamilton Tiger-CatsHamilton Tiger-CatsThe Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...