MILTON: Ticats Needed That Win to Carry Momentum Into the Final Two Games — and Next Year

Overall, there’s no denying it’s been a dissatisfying 2026 season, but the Ticats are entering the final three weeks—comprising two home games and a bye—cradling a collective self-belief that they say has never left them.

“It’s good, man, it’s how we want to finish the season right?” veteran offensive guard and team captain Brandon Revenberg said after the Cats’ second-half domination of the serial-winless Ottawa Redblacks, 34-16 in the nation’s capital Friday night. “Get some wins on the board, and I’m glad we got one here.

“It’s a beautiful thing.”

Sure, sounded beautiful, as the amplified music and group singing were ramped up to 11 on a scale of 10 in a raucous Hamilton locker room.

Sometimes even those involved, let alone those observing from the outside, don’t fully realize until it’s relieved just how much tension can accompany a losing streak. The last time the Cats could allow themselves this kind of celebration was 47 days earlier when they beat then West-leading Saskatchewan, a result which appeared might turn their season around. But that was followed by five straight losses, dropping them to 4-11 heading into Friday night and formally eliminating them from the postseason.

Despite the bitter exclusion from the playoffs after the season had started with so much justifiable promise, the Cats have been staying on task in the team gym, film study and position-group meetings while approaching practice as they always do, looking ahead only to the next play and to the game that is directly in front of them.

You can play no other team than the schedule orders you to play, and Friday that was Ottawa, which had lost all 14 games this season, tying a league record for defeats to open a season, then breaking it with Hamilton’s three-phase vice grip on the final 35 minutes, leaving the home team, and its restless fans, numb. But head coach Scott Milanovich had said during the week that with their own record imbalance, his Cats were not looking down at Ottawa or any other team and that the Redblacks would be a motivated, dangerous opponent, which, behind quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson, they proved to be.... for the first half, during which they scored on their first four possessions with a touchdown and three field goals. They led by 10 points early on.

But the Hamilton defence, which had bent but not fully broken in allowing 239 yards in net first-half offence, permitted the Redblacks only 54 yards in the entire second half as the Cats outscored their hosts 21-0 after the intermission. Quarterback Harrison Frost found his timing and accuracy after earlier misthrows, finishing with 28 completions on 35 attempts for 342 yards, a pair of touchdown passes, and one first-half interception. He engineered three consecutive TD drives—covering, in order, 86, 95, and 41 yards—within just over nine minutes straddling the third and fourth quarters and completed all six of his passes in that stretch, supplemented by Larry Rountree III’s determined rushing.

“This is great,” said Rountree III, who amassed 19 carries for 128 yards, 15 of those trips and 114 yards in the second half, and he added another 30 yards in receptions.

“Even though we’re not going to the post-season, we want to end off with pride. That’s one thing we always talk about: finish with pride and be winners even though we’re not in the playoffs.

“We want to win every game, and that actually sets up momentum for next year. You have to feel that way. Those guys were 0-14, but we hadn’t won a game in a minute either, so at the end of the day it's just going out there and winning one—period—which says a lot about this team. We have never laid down, but I think today we brought our swords out of the sheath.

“In the second half, we came out and felt we could dominate against them. I feel good; We got the W, and that’s what matters. We had to come up here to get the win, and it feels good to come back in and celebrate in the locker room.”

Even though the Cats won going away, the Redblacks were still within striking distance at 27-16 and had mounted a couple of first downs halfway through the final corner. But 6-4, 262-pound defensive end Mitch Agude stripped Bethel-Thompson of possession and recovered. With Julian Howsare traded a couple of days earlier, Agude was playing more and recorded his second sack in as many games. Seven well-schemed plays later, short-yardage pivot Jake Dolegala powered in for his second major of the game.

“Our team needed to make a stop, and I’m glad I was the one who got to do it,” said Agude, who joined the Ticats just before training camp. Losing a guy like Julian that’s definitely a big loss to our team. As a defensive line, we knew we had to step up, and I’m glad I could put that on the field. Coach (Casey) Creehan gave us a good game plan to set us up, and we had to execute. This season didn’t turn out how we thought it was going to be, so that’s all we can do: finish well.”

“Our team needed to make a stop, and I’m glad I was the one who got to do it. “

Rountree III said Agude’s strip-sack was a turning point in the game and that he’d recently told Agude to be ready for the opportunity when it comes, “and I think tonight he did a good job of that. It’s about making big plays; as Kenny Lawler says, you’ve got to play for your brothers, and that’s what I love about this team.”

Speaking of Lawler, he had an outstanding evening with a pair of touchdowns and 132 yards, his first 100-yard game of the season. His six catches were, again, mostly athletic and despite not getting as many looks as in his personal-best season last year, he’s got 1000 yards within reach (832 with two games to go), is now up to eight touchdowns, the second-most of his career and half of his catches in this game were on critical second downs. He could have had another touchdown, but a dramatic interception in the end zone (Alonzo Addae) as the first half ended thwarted that attempt. He also surpassed 400 catches for his career.

“Just a number,” he said of the 400 receptions and added that the second-half long drives were good. “We can put long drives together, and we can put short ones together too. We played hard, we played fast, we played physical in all three phases, and once you do that, you can win.

“This just gives us confidence over the next three weeks. We’re not losers...and we want to finish this season winning.”

That’s a universal theme heading into the final two games.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Milanovich said of the win and its future impact. “It’s a testament to our team to, despite getting knocked out of the playoffs, show up, do our jobs and play for Hamilton and play for the people who care about us.

“At this point, everyone is playing and coaching, fighting for their jobs. So, every week the evaluation matters for every player and coach. We have a lot of guys with good character, and they’re going to continue to play.

“I thought that showed up really well in the second half. I wasn’t pleased with the way we played in the first half. We weathered the storm when we didn’t move the ball very well in the third quarter. When we had really bad field position, the defence kept them off the board. We got that touchdown (Lawler) in the third quarter which flipped it, and we kind of got some traction.”

Milanovich thought Frost, who threw for 184 yards in the second half and has tossed 9 touchdown passes (and 8 interceptions) in the last four games, delivered a commendable second half after an uneven first half.

“We just were able to move downfield more, find some first downs rather than going long on second down,” said Frost. “And we were able to finish it off. Compliments to Tree and the O-line for getting it done with the shuffling we had to do. (losing tight end Max Mang moments before the game and starting centre Brayden Szeman in the first half).

“It’s huge for confidence over the next three weeks. This is probably the most I’ve lost since I started to play football, so getting this one feels really good. It’s a happy plane ride home, and we’re glad to celebrate.”

There was a celebration on the field right after the game when all the members of Hamilton’s special teams mobbed Special Teams Coordinator Bob Dyce, who had been Ottawa’s head coach for four seasons until late last year.

Among those surrounding Dyce was long-snapper Gordon Whyte, who had just completed his 100^th CFL game. “It’s crazy that I’m already in my sixth year,” Whyte said. “Chad Rempel holds the record with 220, so I think I have to play another six or seven years. That’s a good thing about being a long snapper; if you’re good and you stay consistent, you can stay with one team. Being a local boy from Toronto, I love playing for the Ticats.

“After the season we’ve had it’s nice to, No. 1, play my 100^th game and, No. 2, do it in Ottawa and beat them for coach Dyce. So, all in all, it’s a great way to win a game, and it’s great for everybody.”

Ottawa will try once again to break its goose egg in BC Friday night, while the Cats play host to Edmonton earlier that evening in the annual Wall of Honour Game. Dominating running back Troy Davis will be enshrined on the West Wall facade that night.

CATS CLAUSES: Kurleigh Gittens Jr. caught all six passes thrown his way for 67 yards and Kiondré Smith had 6 catches, 2 on second down, for 60 yards to close to within 107 yards of his second straight 1000-yard season ... Marc Liegghio was 2-for-2 on field goals ... Rookie C Brayden Szeman was hurt in the first half and RG Liam Dobson moved over to snap and Nate Dumoulin-Duguay came in at guard … Isaiah Wooden Sr. had a punt return for 21 yards and a kickoff return for 22, but also had a longer return called back for a penalty ... in the injury absence of TE Max Mang all-purpose Ante Litre got a lot more time on offence and caught three passes for 28 yards ... the Ticats had 8 penalties for 61 yards, Ottawa 6 for 40 ... Ticat QB Jake Dolegala, got his 9^th TD of the season with 2 more short-yardage scores ... the Ticats offence had a 63 per cent success rate on second downs, while the defence also had a 63 per cent success rate on Ottawa second downs ... Ottawa QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson was 17-for-31 for 208 yards, no TDs and no picks ... RB Daniel Adeboboye had a strong game with 74 yards rushing and another 12 yards receiving ... Cade McDonald (58 yards), Justin Hardy (56) and Keelan White (52) led Ottawa receivers ... short-yardage QB Bryson Barnes had the Redblacks’ only TD ... Paul Geelen was 3-for-4 on FG for Ottawa ... MLB Nyles Morgan led all tacklers with 10 ... attendance was 15,308.