Marquee Matchup: Who will win the Grey Cup rematch?

TORONTO — 313 days will have passed since the Toronto Argonauts and Winnipeg Blue Bombers met in the 109th Grey Cup when they face off at IG Field on Friday night.

That’s almost an entire year since the Argos became champions and while Toronto technically doesn’t have to win this game for playoff positioning (they’ve already locked up the Eastern Final), they’ll surely want to get this win for bragging rights.

Chad Kelly won’t start in this one, he’s listed as the team’s third option, and the Argos also also sitting out a trio of stars on defence, Jamal Peters, Shawn Oakman, and Wynton McManis, as they navigate resting through the final stretch of the season.

Winnipeg, on the other hand, will have all of their stars on hand as they look to keep the top spot in the West from the BC Lions.

Zach Collaros and co. have won three of their last five games and are ever-dangerous coming back from a bye week. Can they take down the 12-1 Argonauts? Find out as Week 17 kicks off on Friday night.

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Game Notes:

• No. 1 vs No. 2: This game has the CFL’s No. 1 & No. 2 ranked scoring teams but also the No. 1 & no. 2 ranked clubs at preventing points. Both clubs are averaging 32+ points and allowing under 22 points per game. To add to that, WPG & TOR are No. 1 & No. 2 in net offence and in overall pass efficiency rating.
• Winnipeg Off a Bye: The Blue Bombers come in off a bye week and since 2021 are 6-0 and 12-1 since 2017. They are No. 1 in the CFL coming a bye since 2015 at 13-4.
• At 12-1: The Argos have started 12-1 in 2023, a feat accomplished now by just seven teams back to 1950. The latest was last season by Winnipeg who after a 12-1 start finished at 15-3. No 12-1 team has ever won 16 games – the CFL record of 16 wins by Edmonton in 1989 came after an 11-2 start and then four wins to end up 16-2.
• 12-1 vs 10-4: In the history of their head-to-head games, this meeting has Toronto and Winnipeg with their best ever combined record of 22-5 .815. They rank No. 1 and tied for No. 2 overall in the CFL heading into this late season game.
• Getting Ahead: The Argos have trailed at half time just twice all season and rebounded to win in one of them. After the first quarter they are undefeated when they have led (9-0).
• Nic Demski & Brady Oliveira: Demski and Oliveira are past or nearing a 1,000 yard season – no team has EVER had two Canadians reach the 1,000-yard receiving and rushing level in the same season. Nic Demski has hit a career-high with his 931 yards to date and holds an active 50-game consecutive streak with at least one reception.
• Dalton Schoen: Schoen has reached 1,000 yards in his first two seasons. He is the first player to accomplish that since Derel Walker in 2015-16, and the third Winnipeg player to do so (James Murphy 1983-84 & Perry Tuttle in 1986-87). Schoen is riding back-to-back 100+ games and has a reception in all 34 career games.
• Argos on the Road: Toronto at 5-1 has assured a second straight .500+ season away from home. The last time they had back-to-back winning road campaigns was in 2007.
• Ryan Dinwiddie: Dinwiddie has a record of 32-13 .711 heading into this game – his .711 mark ranks No. 4 A/T among those with 40+ games. He has led the Argos to three-straight first place finishes for the first time since 1982-1984.
• Mike O’Shea: O’Shea brings a record of 92-62 .597 into the game – he ranks No. 12 all-time with 92 wins. Among head coaches with 80+ games, he ranks No. 7 with his winning % of .597.
• Recent Games: The Argos and Bombers have split the last four times they have met but longer term Winnipeg has won eight of the last 11. Toronto has lost their last five visits to Winnipeg last winning in 2015.
• Outstanding Offence: The Blue Bombers have averaged 513 yards of net offence over their last two games including 603 yards vs. Saskatchewan two weeks ago.
• Outstanding Protection: The Argos have been No. 1 in fewest sacks allowed in 2023. In five of their last six games, they did not allow a single one by their opponents and have given up just 12 in 2023.
• Avoiding Two Losses in a Row: The Blue Bombers have not lost two consecutive games since the end of the 2021 season – a span of 32 games. In mid-season they last dropped consecutive games across Sep 21-Oct 5/19, 49 games ago. Zach Collaros is 7-0 when starting in games after a prior loss that he started for Winnipeg.
• Argos Field Position +: Last week they made it ALL 13 games in 2023 with a better average drive starting point. For the season, they have started at their own 41 yard line versus opponents at just their own 33, a major game advantage.
• Five in a row: The Blue Bombers are on a five-game home win streak and are 32-3 at IG Field in the last 35 games.
• Zach Collaros: Collaros has a career W-L record of 70-40 .636 and is 36-8 .818 with Winnipeg in regular season (42-9 incl. post-season). He is 41-15 in 56 career starts at home and 9-5 overall vs Toronto.
• Chad Kelly: Kelly comes in with a 12-2 career record though he may not start this game – he has never started nor seen any action against Winnipeg in his two seasons.
• Brady Oliveira: Oliveira leads the CFL with 1,144 rushing yards for an average of 88.0 yards per game, a pace for 1,584 in 2023. That puts him on track to record the second-highest rushing total by a Canadian in CFL history. With his career-high of 368 receiving yards he leads with 1,558 yards from scrimmage and is on pace for 2,003 in 2023.
• Adarius Pickett: Pickett leads the CFL in total defensive plays with 112. He has 40 defensive tackles in his last four games.
• Wynton McManis: Before 2022, McManis had not made any interceptions – in 2022 he had two picks and last week alone added two more including a 58-yard TD return (to reach five for his career). That was his second career TD return.
• Willie Jefferson: Jefferson leads the CFL in pass knockdowns with 11 but has not recorded a sack in his last seven games.

It’s anyone’s guess as to who will take this one in this week’s Pick ‘Em Marquee Matchup. Who are you siding with?

Make your pick on CFL Pick ‘Em presented by Old Dutch now!