Hamilton (4-8) hosts Toronto (5-6) in the annual Labour Day clash, which is always the biggest rivalry game between the two franchises.
asserted
which → host → franchises
But the Ticats will be playing for their season before a Hamilton Stadium sellout gathering.
asserted
Ticats → play → gathering
The winner will take the season series 2-1 and gain the tiebreaker in the event of a tie at the end of the year.
asserted
winner → take → year
But a win would move Toronto four points ahead of Hamilton in the battle for second in the East Division with a game in hand.
asserted
win → move → hand
Hamilton would then have just five games remaining to move past Toronto for second.
asserted
Hamilton → have → second
And given the tight race for third in the West, it’s looking like the fourth-place team will cross over and take the third and final playoff spot in the East Division.
asserted
team → give → Division
“It’s a really big game the fact it’s Labour Day and implications behind it,” McManus said Sunday following Hamilton’s walk-through.
asserted
McManus → ’ → through
“I think the universe knows it’s a big game as well.
asserted
it → think → ?
“The weather is supposed to be great, I think the clouds are going to clear (and) the sun is going to be out.
asserted
sun → suppose → ?
There’s no reason not to go out and give your all and leave it all on the line like this is the last game in the season.”
asserted
this → ’ → season
Hamilton head coach Scott Milanovich hasn’t had to remind his players about what will be on the line Monday afternoon.
asserted
what → have → line
“No, they’re well aware of it,” he said.
asserted
he → ’re → it
“This is a critical game if we want to hang in the battle for second in the East.
asserted
we → want → East
“That gives it a little bit more juice, no doubt about it.”
asserted
That → give → it
Hamilton leads the overall series 37-16-1.
asserted
Hamilton → lead → series
But Toronto has won three of the last four Labour Day matchups, including 35-33 last year on Lirim Hajrullahu’s game-ending 11-yard field goal.
asserted
Toronto → win → goal
Hajrullahu will return to Toronto’s lineup Monday.
asserted
Hajrullahu → return → lineup
He last played in Hamilton’s 24-23 win July 18, the teams’ first meeting of the season.
asserted
He → play → season
Hajrullahu had a chance to win that contest for Toronto but missed a game-ending 31-yard field goal.
asserted
Hajrullahu → have → goal
Earlier, he missed a convert attempt.
asserted
he → miss → attempt
This will mark McManis’s first Labour Day as a Ticat.
asserted
This → mark → Ticat
He signed with Hamilton in the off-season following four seasons with Toronto, helping the Argos win two Grey Cups (2022, ‘24).
asserted
Argos → sign → Cups
“From the first day I signed I’ve heard how much this games means (to Hamilton),” McManus said.
asserted
McManus → sign → Hamilton
“They (Ticats fans) never let you forget understanding what it is, what it means to this town to beat (Toronto).
asserted
it → let → Toronto
“They’re used to their teams almost being the bad guy and just having that grit about them.
asserted
teams → ’re → them
We want to make sure we give them that and they keep that same feeling because that feels like home here in Hamilton.”
asserted
that → want → Hamilton
Toronto dispatched Hamilton 39-20 at BMO Field on Aug. 22, rushing for a season-high 145 yards.
asserted
Toronto → dispatch → yards
Rookie Isaiah Smith ran for a career-high 99 yards as the Argos improved to 4-0 in games they run for 100 or more yards.
asserted
they → run → yards
Smith will start Monday while American Qualan Jones, who ran for 37 yards on nine carries versus Hamilton in August, also suits up.
“It’s a different game but, man, we don’t let anybody run the ball on us,” McManis said.
asserted
McManis → start → us
“We’re going to make sure we take pride in that.”
asserted
we → go → that
Chad Kelly makes his 12th start of the season for Toronto despite suffering a broken toe in the Argos’ 28-24 road loss to Saskatchewan on Aug. 29.
asserted
Kelly → make → Aug.
He threw for 416 yards with three TDs and two interceptions in that game.
asserted
He → throw → game
“I don’t know if I’m buying it,” McManis said of Kelly’s injury.
asserted
McManis → know → injury
“I’m not believing it.”
asserted
I → believe → it
Kelly entered this week second in CFL passing (3,642 yards) and tied for first in TDs (24).
asserted
Kelly → enter → TDs
But he’s also thrown a league-high 17 interceptions.
asserted
he → throw → interceptions
However, even after a pick Kelly isn’t afraid to return to the air.
asserted
Kelly → return → air
“Many times you go weeks where quarterbacks will avoid throwing over the middle just because of the past,” McManis said.
asserted
McManis → go → past
“But you’re going to play Chad and he’s going to try so you can appreciate that but at the same time we’ve got to try to make him pay.”
asserted
him → go → time
Tre Ford, of Niagara Falls, Ont., will make a sixth start for Hamilton looking for his second win.
asserted
Ford → make → win
…and 5 more, not listed.
The Aporia
