Blue Bombers eyeing 3rd title in 4 years in 1st Grey Cup battle against Alouettes

It will be a Grey Cup first at Tim Hortons Field on Sunday in Hamilton.

The Montreal Alouettes and Winnipeg Blue Bombers will square off in the Canadian Football League championship game, marking the first time the two franchises have ever met in the Grey Cup. And on Monday, event organizers announced the contest was sold out.

Montreal will make its first appearance in the game since 2010 when it defeated Saskatchewan 21-18 at Commonwealth Stadium. It was the second straight championship win for the Alouettes.

Winnipeg, though, is in the Grey Cup for a fourth straight year and chasing a third win. After downing Hamilton in 2019 and '21, the Bombers dropped last year's game 24-23 to Toronto when Argonauts defensive lineman Robbie Smith blocked Marc Liegghio's 47-yard field goal try with 54 seconds remaining.

Quarterback Zach Collaros is among several Bombers making a fourth straight Grey Cup appearance. Overall, Collaros is in the game for a fifth time, also winning in 2012 with Toronto.

But on Sunday, Collaros will become the first CFL quarterback to start four straight Grey Cups.

Montreal quarterback Cody Fajardo will make his first Grey Cup start but also won in 2017 as a backup with Toronto.

The Grey Cup is also nothing new for the head coaches.

Winnipeg's Mike O'Shea is chasing a third win in four appearances as a head coach. He also won three times as a player with Toronto (1996-97 and '04) and in 2012 as the Argos special-teams co-ordinator.

Montreal head coach Jason Maas was also Toronto's quarterback coach in 2012 and dressed for three Grey Cups as a quarterback, winning in 2003 and '05 with Edmonton. But he'll make his first appearance as a head coach Sunday.

Despite its recent Grey Cup success, Winnipeg is