MONTREAL — Davis Alexander led his team back to the Grey Cup. The Alouettes quarterback then had plenty to say about what happened during Saturday’s East Division final. Soon after leading Montreal to a 33-23 victory, Alexander said Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive lineman David Reese taunted him about his deceased father, prompting an emotional post-game reaction from the CFL’s outstanding player. “(Reese), multiple times, talked about my dead dad,” Alexander said. “I was ready to for sure fight, we were all ready to fight, but I think that speaks to how much we’ve grown as a team and in our composure. “I did fire up … but I stayed in the game. I took a second, I went to the locker room, I needed a second and my guys had my back.” Alexander’s father, Matt, died at age 56 in August 2024 following a battle with lung cancer. The quarterback was seen jawing at Bombers players multiple times during the game at Percival Molson Stadium, including once in the second half when a few teammates pulled him toward the sidelines. “I don’t want to air the guy out, but it wasn’t just one time, it wasn’t twice — it was multiple times,” Alexander said. “Just everything that I’ve been through, and I didn’t say a word to him. But yeah, no matter what, no matter what, there is no need for that. In the heat of the moment, there’s no excuse.” The Blue Bombers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The CFL also did not immediately respond when asked whether the league would investigate the alleged incident. Alouettes receiver Tyson Philpot, the CFL’s outstanding Canadian, said he was on the field for one of the exchanges and supported his quarterback. “I’m glad Davis addressed what he said. It’s super disrespectful. There’s no place in our game for stuff like that,” Philpot said. “He literally said that’s why Davis’s dad died. “He doesn’t deserve to play in this game if you want to act like that. So the scoreboard made sense.” And Alexander led the way. He threw for 373 yards and two touchdowns, while Tyrice Beverette forced a pivotal late fumble to lift the Alouettes past the Blue Bombers. Alexander returns to the championship game after losing to the Saskatchewan Roughriders last season as he battled through a nagging hamstring injury. The Alouettes, who advanced to the East final with a CFL-best 14-4 record this season, will travel to Calgary for the Grey Cup on Nov. 15 at McMahon Stadium, where they’ll face the Edmonton Elks, who defeated the visiting B.C. Lions 28-16 in Saturday’s West final. “It means everything. I mean, all you can ask for is the opportunity. Nothing’s guaranteed,” Alexander said. “We got our way back, and there’s nothing guaranteed.” Veteran quarterback Zach Collaros completed 21 of 27 passes for 228 yards in his return from injury for Winnipeg, which fell to Montreal for the second consecutive year after making five straight Grey Cup appearances from 2019 to 2024. Collaros was a game-time decision after hurting his ribs in the Bombers’ regular-season finale and missing Winnipeg’s 25-22 East semifinal victory over Toronto. After a week of apparent QB mind games, Bombers coach Mike O’Shea ultimately started Collaros over Dru Brown. Winnipeg, which trailed 23-10 at halftime, had cut the lead to 26-23 when Collaros led the Bombers to Montreal’s 34-yard line with a chance to erase the deficit. But Beverette swung the momentum, sacking the quarterback to force a fumble and recover the ball himself with 3:50 remaining. “To come up with that big play when it’s 26-23, and they’re in field-goal range, I mean, of all the big plays we’ve had this year, that may be the biggest,” Alouettes coach Jason Maas said. “Strip sack, go down and turn it into a touchdown to send you to a Grey Cup. That’s a tremendous feat.” On the ensuing possession, Alexander capped an eight-play drive with a 21-yard TD throw to Tyler Snead, who slid in the end zone to make the catch with 1:11 left on the clock. “You can’t turn the football over there in the fourth quarter,” said the 38-year-old Collaros, his eyes welling up. “Kind of a microcosm of what the year felt like, with you stringing together some success and then kind of shoot yourself in the foot at the worst possible time. “It’s always disappointing when you lose a football game, especially one of this magnitude in a place like this where you felt you had an opportunity to win. So it’s tough.” Bombers running back Brady Oliveira finished with 105 rushing yards on 14 carries — and a first-half fumble — before a sellout crowd of 23,035 on a windy, 7 C afternoon. Winnipeg crossed over to the East after finishing fourth in the West with a 9-9 record this season. The Bombers became the sixth crossover team to reach a division final, but none of the previous 14 crossover teams have advanced to the Grey Cup. Montreal kicker Jose Maltos Diaz converted 4-of-4 field goals. Winnipeg’s Sergio Castillo was 3-for-4 — with Montreal securing the victory on his missed attempt. Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press
