HAMILTON - Bo Levi Mitchell threw two touchdown passes while Greg Bell scored two TDs to power the Hamilton Tiger-Cats past the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 32-21 on Friday night.
Mitchell leads the CFL with 26 TD strikes as Hamilton (8-5) earned a second straight win to move six points ahead of the second-place Montreal Alouettes (5-7) in the East Division. The Ticats also earned the victory before a Hamilton Stadium gathering of 22,913 following the death of GM Ted Goveia earlier in the day.
Mitchell finished 21-of-28 passing for 230 yards while Kenny Lawler had seven catches for 97 yards in his first game against his former team. Bell rushed for 137 yards on 22 carries and a TD — his second-straight 100-yard game — while adding three catches for 31 yards and a touchdown.
There was a scary moment in the fourth quarter when standout rookie middle linebacker Devin Veresuk remained down on the field for 10 minutes. Veresuk appeared to suffer a head/neck injury while tackling Winnipeg quarterback Chris Streveler but gave fans the thumbs-up while being carted off on a stretcher.
Winnipeg (6-7) suffered a second straight loss to remain third in the West Division. The Blue Bombers were minus starter Zach Collaros (neck) as Streveler fell to 0-3 all-time versus Hamilton.
Streveler was 18-of-29 passing for 241 yards with a TD and two interceptions while rushing 11 times for 82 yards and a touchdown. Brady Oliveira ran for 116 yards on 15 carries while adding four catches for 35 yards.
Hamilton improved to 3-3 at home in a game played with many heavy hearts after Goveia’s death. Goveia, of Burlington, Ont., announced in June that he’d been diagnosed with a “serious form of cancer,” which ended up being esophageal cancer.
The Ticats had already planned to honour Goveia’s impact on Canadian football in the contest, dubbed the ‘Team Ted’ game. Goveia, 55, was in his first season as Hamilton’s GM and joined the Ticats after spending 11 seasons in Winnipeg’s front office.
The Ticats held a moment of silence in Goveia’s honour before the game. Following the first quarter, the club paid tribute to Goveia with a touching video presentation and on-field salute.
Tim White had Hamilton’s other touchdown. Marc Liegghio kicked four field goals and two converts.
Keric Wheatfall scored Winnipeg’s touchdown. Sergio Castillo booted two field goals and a convert
Streveler’s five-yard TD run at 13:24, and two-point convert pass to Nic Demski pulled Winnipeg to within 32-21. Bell’s seven-yard touchdown run at 12:13 gave Hamilton a 32-13 advantage as the two-point convert attempt was unsuccessful.
Winnipeg recovered the onside kick following Streveler’s TD but it was called back by an interference penalty. The Bombers tried another onside attempt but Hamilton receiver Shemar Bridges tipped the ball out of bounds to give the Ticats possession at the visitors’ 36-yard line.
Hamilton turned the ball over on downs at the Winnipeg 30-yard line with 37 seconds remaining.
Liegghio’s fourth field goal of the game, from 23 yards out at 7:59 of the fourth, put Hamilton ahead 26-13.
Liegghio’s 13-yard field goal at 11:18 of the third boosted Hamilton’s lead to 23-10 before Castillo countered with a 26-yard boot to end the third.
Mitchell’s seven-yard TD pass to White at 14:26 earned Hamilton its 20-10 halftime lead. It was set up by DaShaun Amos’ 22-yard interception return.
Hamilton’s defence set up both of the club’s first-half TDs. Bell opened the scoring with a seven-yard TD grab at 2:01 of the first, one play following Jamal Peters’ 39-yard interception return.
And that’s been a trend this season for both teams. Hamilton entered the game having scored 84 points off 30 turnovers (both league highs) while Winnipeg came in having committed a league-most 34 turnovers.
Winnipeg’s miscues tarnished a stellar half for Oliveira (110 yards rushing on 13 carries, team-best two catches for 24 yards).
Castillo’s 45-yard field goal at 4:54 of the second made it 10-10 before Liegghio put Hamilton back ahead with a 35-yard field goal at 7:38.
Steveler’s third-down 42-yard TD pass to Wheatfall at 4:54 tied the score before Liegghio connected on a 43-yard field goal at 8:36 to put Hamilton ahead 10-7.
UP NEXT
Winnipeg: Visits the Ottawa Redblacks (4-8) on Saturday, Sept. 20.
Hamilton: Hosts the Edmonton Elks (5-7) on Saturday, Sept. 20.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2025.
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