Follow CFL

© 2026 CFL. All rights reserved.

Menu
Game Day June 19, 2026

Bo Levi Mitchell ties career best with five TDs in Ticats’ win over Lions

Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca

HAMILTON — Billed as a quarterback duel, it was all Bo Levi Mitchell in the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ 41-27 win over the BC Lions on Friday night at Hamilton Stadium.

The Ticats’ veteran pivot posted a perfect quarterback rating for the second straight week, finishing with 285 yards and five touchdowns while completing 15 of his 18 passes to lead Hamilton to its first home win of 2026. The five-touchdown performance tied his career high in a single game. His favourite target was Kenny Lawler, who reeled in four of five looks for 81 receiving yards and a score.

The Ticats wasted little time, setting the tone with a pair of 56-yard completions from Mitchell to Kiondré Smith and Myron Mitchell. Smith hauled in the first to cap the opening drive with a touchdown, before Jake Dolegala finished the next possession with a goal-line sneak.

Into the second quarter, Hamilton quickly extended its lead as Mitchell pinned one to rookie Maximilian Mang for his second career touchdown on his fourth career catch.

The Lions controlled time of possession in the first half, but couldn’t match Hamilton in the red zone. All three opening drives reached scoring position, but each stalled for field goals from Sean Whyte.

The pressure spilled over on BC’s fourth drive. Nathan Rourke tried to push the tempo but overthrew his target, and Stavros Katsantonis came down with the interception. Mitchell went deep and hit Lawler for a 49-yard touchdown on the ensuing play, with Lawler making a strong contested catch to punctuate a statement swing and send Hamilton to halftime with a 27-9 lead.

Mitchell finished the first half with 218 yards and two touchdowns on nine-for-ten passing.

It was more of the same out of the break as Mitchell went back to Mang, finding the rookie for his second touchdown of the night to cap a nearly seven minute march. In the fourth, Mitchell added a fifth touchdown, a bullet to Kurleigh Gittens Jr. for the Canadian’s first score in Ticats colours.

The result was all but decided in the closing stages, but BC added a pair of late touchdowns, with Nick Cenacle on the receiving end of scoring passes from Rourke and backup quarterback Chase Brice.

Already without receivers Keon Hatcher Sr., Stanley Berryhill III, Jevon Cottoy and Seven McGee, BC also saw Justin McInnis and Kieran Poissant shaken up during the game. With his receiving corps depleted, Rourke struggled to generate offence and was held under 300 yards for the first time this season. The reigning MOP went 24-for-35 with 291 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Cenacle was busy in the loss, seeing a game-high 12 targets and finishing with nine catches for 120 yards and his first career 100-yard game.

RELATED
» Depth Charts: BC | HAM
» Game Notes: Lions at Tiger-Cats
» Game Tracker: BC at Hamilton by the numbers
» Sign up and watch CFL games on CFL+ in the U.S. and Internationally

 

SCORING PLAYS

NEXT UP

The BC Lions head back to Vancouver in Week 4 for their home opener against the Calgary Stampeders on Saturday, June 26. BC swept the season series in 2025 before edging Calgary 33-30 in the Western Semi-Final.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats get a bye in Week 4 before hosting the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Sunday, July 5. It will be the second meeting between the teams this season after Hamilton earned a 37-27 victory in Week 2.