Cody Fajardo and the Montreal Alouettes are unlikely Grey Cup champions.

Fajardo’s 19-yard touchdown pass to Canadian Tyson Philpot rallied Montreal to a thrilling 28-24 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Sunday.

It earned the Alouettes their first CFL title since 2010 and came after an uncertain off-season that saw the franchise taken over by the league in February before it was sold the following month to businessman Pierre Karl Peladeau.

Fajardo’s toss capped a stellar seven-play, 83-yard march. It included a clutch 31-yard completion to Cole Spieker on third-and-five before a Tim Hortons Field sellout of 28,808 as Montreal ended 2023 with eight straight victories.

Winnipeg had one last possession to try to tie the game. Zach Collaros completed a pass to punter Jamieson Sheahan, who then tried to boot the ball into the endzone but it was short and Montreal recovered to end the game.

The Blue Bombers, in the Grey Cup for a fourth straight year, suffered a second consecutive loss after beating Hamilton in 2019 and ’21. The Toronto Argonauts edged Winnipeg 24-23 last year.

Fajardo finished 21-of-26 passing for 290 yards with three TDs and an interception to secure his first Grey Cup title as a starter. He earned a ring with Toronto in 2017 as a backup.

The loss tarnished a stellar effort by Winnipeg running back Brady Oliveira. The CFL’s outstanding Canadian ran for 119 yards and a TD, his third 100-yard rushing performance in as many games this year versus Montreal. 

The Winnipeg native ran for 120 and 118 yards as the Bombers swept the regular-season series with the Alouettes 2-0.

Dakota Prukop’s four-yard run at 9:32 of the fourth put Winnipeg ahead 24-21. It came after Fajardo staked Montreal to a 21-17 lead _ its first of the game _ with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Austin Mack at 3:48.

The 28-yard scoring drive was set up by Philpot’s 30-yard punt return. Montreal receiver Austin Mack had six receptions for 103 yards and a touchdown.

Collaros, the first CFL quarterback to start four straight Grey Cups, finished 18-of-22 passing for 226 yards with an interception.

Linebacker Adam Bighill (right calf) and receiver Dalton Schoen (ankle) both played for Winnipeg despite neither practising this week. Bighill and Schoen also weren’t on the field during pre-game warmups but the Bombers announced 30 minutes before kickoff they’d be active.

Bighill, Winnipeg’s defensive leader, was injured in last week’s West Division final while Schoen, the club’s top receiver, hadn’t played since Oct. 6. Both saw action but each was substituted throughout the contest.

Montreal, which entered the game an eight-point underdog, earned its eighth Grey Cup in 19 appearances.

Winnipeg’s Sergio Castillo booted three converts and a field goal.

William Stanback and Spieker scored Montreal’s other touchdowns. David Cote added four converts.

Fajardo’s 23-yard TD strike to Spieker _ with Bighill trying to defend _ pulled Montreal to within 17-14 at 1:43 of the third. It capped a three-play, 60-yard march.

Winnipeg threatened, driving to Montreal’s nine-yard line before Kabion Ento intercepted Collaros in the endzone.

A stout defensive stand earned Winnipeg its 17-7 half-time advantage. Middle linebacker Shayne Gauthier _ playing where Bighill would normally be _ stopped Montreal quarterback Caleb Evans on third-and-one with eight seconds to play to preserve the Bombers’ lead.

It was an opening half neither team really took control of. Winnipeg had more first downs (13-9), net yards (187-163) rushing yards (86-49), offensive plays (30-22) and converted eight-of-12 on second down but needed a key turnover for its 10-point lead.

Collaros was eight-of-11 passing for 112 yards but Oliveira was Winnipeg’s top offensive threat with 69 yards and a TD on nine carries. However, the CFL’s top Canadian also lost a fumble.

Fajardo was a solid 10-of-12 passing for 123 yards with Stanback rushing five times for 40 yards and a TD.

Prukop’s one-yard run at 12:08 of the second staked Winnipeg to a 17-7 advantage. It was set up by Mike Miller’s recovery of James Letcher Jr.’s punt-return fumble at the Montreal 29-yard line.

Stanback’s 32-yard TD run at 14:55 of the first cut Winnipeg’s lead to 10-7. The four-play, 77-yard march was an impressive answer to Oliveira’s five-yard TD run at 12 minutes that capped the Bombers’ eight-play, 66-yard possession that was aided by a questionable unnecessary roughness call on Montreal’s Mustafa Johnson.

Castillo’ opened the scoring with a 25-yard field goal at 6:28 as Winnipeg had possession for 11 minutes, five seconds in the quarter.

Grey Cup Champions

2023 _ Montreal Alouettes 

2022 _ Toronto Argonauts 

2021 _ Winnipeg Blue Bombers 

2020 _ Season Cancelled (COVID-19 pandemic)

2019 _ Winnipeg Blue Bombers 

2018 _ Calgary Stampeders 

2017 _ Toronto Argonauts 

2016 _ Ottawa RedBlacks

2015 _ Edmonton Eskimos 

2014 _ Calgary Stampeders 

2013 _ Saskatchewan Roughriders 

2012 _ Toronto Argonauts 

2011 _ British Columbia Lions

2010 _ Montreal Alouettes 

2009 _ Montreal Alouettes 

2008 _ Calgary Stampeders 

2007 _ Saskatchewan Roughriders 

2006 _ British Columbia Lions

2005 _ Edmonton Eskimos 

2004 _ Toronto Argonauts 

2003 _ Edmonton Eskimos 

2002 _ Montreal Alouettes 

2001 _ Calgary Stampeders 

2000 _ British Columbia Lions

1999 _ Hamilton Tiger-Cats 

1998 _ Calgary Stampeders 

1997 _ Toronto Argonauts 

1996 _ Toronto Argonauts 

1995 _ Baltimore Stallions

1994 _ British Columbia Lions

1993 _ Edmonton Eskimos  

1992 _ Calgary Stampeders  

1991 _ Toronto Argonauts  

1990 _ Winnipeg Blue Bombers  

1989 _ Saskatchewan Roughriders  

1988 _ Winnipeg Blue Bombers  

1987 _ Edmonton Eskimos  

1986 _ Hamilton Tiger-Cats  

1985 _ British Columbia Lions

1984 _ Winnipeg Blue Bombers  

1983 _ Toronto Argonauts  

1982 _ Edmonton Eskimos  

1981 _ Edmonton Eskimos  

1980 _ Edmonton Eskimos  

1979 _ Edmonton Eskimos  

1978 _ Edmonton Eskimos  

1977 _ Montreal Alouettes  

1976 _ Ottawa Rough Riders

1975 _ Edmonton Eskimos  

1974 _ Montreal Alouettes  

1973 _ Ottawa Rough Riders

1972 _ Hamilton Tiger-Cats  

1971 _ Calgary Stampeders  

1970 _ Montreal Alouettes  

1969 _ Ottawa Rough Riders

1968 _ Ottawa Rough Riders

1967 _ Hamilton Tiger-Cats  

1966 _ Saskatchewan Roughriders  

1965 _ Hamilton Tiger-Cats  

1964 _ British Columbia Lions

1963 _ Hamilton Tiger-Cats  

1962 _ Winnipeg Blue Bombers    

1961 _ Winnipeg Blue Bombers  

1960 _ Ottawa Rough Riders

1959 _ Winnipeg Blue Bombers  

1958 _ Winnipeg Blue Bombers  

1957 _ Hamilton Tiger-Cats  

1956 _ Edmonton Eskimos  

1955 _ Edmonton Eskimos  

1954 _ Edmonton Eskimos  

1953 _ Hamilton Tiger-Cats  

1952 _ Toronto Argonauts  

1951 _ Ottawa Rough Riders

1950 _ Toronto Argonauts  

1949 _ Montreal Alouettes  

1948 _ Calgary Stampeders  

1947 _ Toronto Argonauts  

1946 _ Toronto Argonauts  

1945 _ Toronto Argonauts  

1944 _ Montreal St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy

1943 _ Hamilton Flying Wildcats  

1942 _ Toronto RCAF Hurricanes

1941 _ Winnipeg Blue Bombers  

1940 _ Ottawa  Rough Riders

1939 _ Winnipeg Blue Bombers  

1938 _ Toronto Argonauts  

1937 _ Toronto Argonauts  

1936 _ Sarnia Imperials

1935 _ Winnipeg Blue Bombers  

1934 _ Sarnia Imperials

1933 _ Toronto Argonauts  

1932 _ Hamilton Tigers  

1931 _ Montreal AAA Winged Wheelers 

1930 _ Balmy Beach  

1929 _ Hamilton Tigers  

1928 _ Hamilton Tigers  

1927 _ Balmy Beach  

1926 _ Ottawa Senators    

1925 _ Ottawa Senators  

1924 _ Queen’s University 

1923 _ Queen’s University

1922 _ Queen’s University

1921 _ Toronto Argonauts  

1920 _ University of Toronto

1919 _ Game Cancelled (lack of organization)

1916-18 _ Games Cancelled (First World War)

1915 _ Hamilton Tigers  

1914 _ University of Toronto 

1913 _ Hamilton Tigers  

1912 _ Hamilton Alerts  

1911 _ University of Toronto 

1910 _ University of Toronto 

1909 _ University of Toronto