HAMILTON — Bo Levi Mitchell’s perfect OK Tire Labour Day Weekend streak nearly stayed intact Monday, until a resilient Toronto Argonauts team fought back to win 35-33 and keep its playoff hopes alive.
In a fourth quarter that featured 30 total points and three lead changes in the final three minutes, the Argos made their mark, stealing away a crucial in-division victory in the dwindling seconds to improve to 4-8.
Hamilton, perfect off the bye a year ago and undefeated against East Division opponents in 2025, couldn’t hang on to seal their seventh win at Hamilton Stadium.
CFL.ca brings you three key stats from the Toronto Argonauts’ win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
OK TIRE LABOUR DAY WEEKEND
» Argos shock Ticats in OK Tire Labour Day Weekend thriller
» Depth Charts: TOR | HAM
» By the numbers: Argonauts at Tiger-Cats
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12 – SECONDS REMAINING ON ARGONAUTS’ GAME-WINNING DRIVE
The game may have started slowly by these high-scoring teams’ standards, but the fourth quarter told a different story. After a blown coverage allowed Mitchell to connect with Kenny Lawler for what seemed like the go-ahead dagger late in the final frame, Nick Arbuckle and the Argos needed just 12 seconds and one play to march downfield and set up Lirim Hajrullahu’s walk-off chip shot. Dejon Brissett’s 62-yard catch-and-run to get out of bounds was the pivotal play and will not be forgotten as Toronto angles for a playoff position down the stretch.
352 – NICK ARBUCKLE PASSING YARDS
Duelling “Mr. Labour Day” on OK Tire Labour Day Weekend is no easy task, but Arbuckle rose to the challenge on Monday. The Argos’ pivot completed 33 of his 40 passes for 352 yards and three touchdowns, and broke through for a 13-for-15, 169-yard fourth quarter. Coming off career highs against the BC Lions in Week 12, Arbuckle’s follow-up performance — his third straight game without an interception — showcased exactly the kind of efficiency Toronto needs to keep its offence humming.
Arbuckle made sure to spread the love to a strong receiving corps complemented by the return of 2024 yard-leader Makai Polk, completing passes to six different targets, four of whom totalled more than 60 yards. His growing connection with Jake Herslow was on full display, as the receiver hauled in his fifth and sixth touchdowns in four games since being promoted from the practice squad.
154 – SPENCER BROWN TOTAL YARDS
After weeks with nothing going for the ground game, Toronto may have finally found its answer. Rookie Spencer Brown popped on the scene with 85 yards and a touchdown against BC in Week 12, and followed it up on Monday with 154 total yards — 90 rushing, 64 receiving — over 19 touches. Brown’s emergence adds a new dimension to the Argos’ attack, which entered the week dead last with 52.9 rushing yards per game.
With Hamilton shading the deep threat early — cautious of Toronto’s league-leading 30-plus-yard completions (23) — Brown became a reliable early-down workhorse, drawing defenders in before Arbuckle began to open the field deep in the fourth quarter.