VANCOUVER, British Columbia — In a thrilling showdown at B.C. Place, backup quarterback Nick Arbuckle steered the Toronto Argonauts to their 19th Grey Cup championship, securing a commanding 41-24 win against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Sunday night.

With starter Chad Kelly sidelined due to a broken ankle sustained during the East Championship against Montreal, Arbuckle stepped up to the challenge. He had an impressive outing, completing 26 out of 37 passes for a total of 252 yards, leading Toronto to their second Grey Cup victory over Winnipeg within three years.

Toronto boasts an unbeaten record of 8-0 against Winnipeg in Grey Cup appearances, with previous victories recorded in 1937, 1938, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1950, and 2022. Meanwhile, the Blue Bombers were seeking to earn their third consecutive Grey Cup win after having claimed titles in 2019 and 2021; their chance in 2000 was thwarted by a season cancellation.

In a crucial moment of the game, Arbuckle connected with Dejon Brissett for a 17-yard touchdown pass, extending Toronto’s lead to 24-16 with 7:31 left in the game. On the ensuing kickoff, DaShaun Amos intercepted a pass from Winnipeg’s Zach Collaros, returning it to the 16-yard line, which resulted in a 14-yard field goal from Brian Hajrullahu only five minutes later.

The final moments sealed the Argonauts’ victory when Robert Priester scored on a 61-yard interception return touchdown at the 3:12 mark. Following that, Wynton McManis returned another intercepted pass for 58 yards to the 4-yard line, with Ka’Deem Carey ultimately scoring on the next play, pushing the score to 41-16.

Earlier in the match, Arbuckle threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Mital, which was set up after Fraser Sopik recovered a fumble from Lucky Whitehead during a punt return, bringing Toronto to a 17-10 lead with 6:13 left in the third quarter. Winnipeg responded with a 40-yard field goal from Sergio Castillo, narrowing the gap to 17-13 two minutes before the end of the quarter. A blocked punt from John Haggerty by Michael Ayers briefly gave the Blue Bombers possession, but due to a penalty involving Kyrie Wilson, they ultimately lost the opportunity to capitalize on the turnover.

The Blue Bombers managed to regain the ball moments later when Willie Jefferson intercepted Arbuckle, returning it to Toronto’s 30-yard line, setting up Castillo’s 23-yard field goal that added to the excitement.