Bo Levi Mitchell has a long memory that served him well on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats quarterback remembered last season\u2019s trip to\u00a0Winnipeg\u00a0in September that ended with an embarrassing 40-3 loss.<\/p>\n
The 14-year veteran decided to try to do something about it for Thursday night\u2019s Blue Bombers\u2019 home opener and it seemed to spark a 37-27 Ticats\u2019 victory.<\/p>\n
\u201cI could see it the entire week of practice, I could see it on the travel \u2014 things were different, guys were locked in,\u201d Mitchell said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI switched up literally everything that I do, like my routine I\u2019ve done it for 14, 15 years. Superstition-wise, I\u2019m like I\u2019m changing everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
That included not going to the casino the day before the game. Instead, he went to a steakhouse and paid the bill for a number of his teammates. And rather than take a ride share to Princess Auto Stadium with a couple of players, he jumped on the team bus.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust trying to change things up, change up the juju,\u201d Mitchell said<\/p>\n
He ended up completing 19 of 24 pass attempts for 287 yards with three touchdowns \u2014 two to Kiondre Smith \u2014 and no interceptions. He even had a 15-yard run to keep a drive alive that ended with a TD toss to Max Mang.<\/p>\n
\u201cGot five yards in and my legs gave out,\u201d Mitchell joked. \u201cI would have loved to throw the ball for a touchdown, but it feels good on a second-and-long any time you can get a first down as a quarterback, especially as a 36-year-old guy, it felt good to help the team there.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Ticats were coming off an overtime loss to Montreal and moved to 1-1, the first time the team hasn\u2019t opened a season 0-2 since 2019.<\/p>\n
Winnipeg\u00a0(1-1) was playing in front of a 15th consecutive capacity crowd of 32,343 in a game that featured on-and-off downpours.<\/p>\n
Hamilton also got a touchdown off a quarterback sneak from backup Jake Dolegala. Marc Liegghio was good on field goals from 53, 46 and 23 yards and hit four converts.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought Bo was amazing under the conditions, against a really good defence,\u201d Ticats head coach Scott Milanovich said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe big run on second-and-14, I think ended with a touchdown if I remember correctly. We needed every point we could get tonight, so I thought Bo played a hell of a game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Winnipeg\u00a0squeezed the score 34-27 with 2:12 remaining in the game, but the Ticats put in backup quarterback Tre Ford for the first snap and he peeled off 23-yard run.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mitchell then led the offence down the field for a Liegghio 23-yarder to seal the victory with 35 seconds left on the clock.<\/p>\n
Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros was 28-of-35 passing for 421 yards, two TDs and one interception.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know what, offensively we just left points on the field,\u201d Collaros said of his huge yardage that didn\u2019t come with a victory.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, it starts with me turning the football over there in the second quarter, going into halftime. You can\u2019t do that. That\u2019s at least three points for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Receivers Nic Demski and Ontaria Wilson scored for\u00a0Winnipeg\u00a0and backup quarterback Bryce Perkins plunged over the goal line. Sergio Castillo connected on field goals from 19 and 45 yards, but missed from 43 yards out. He made three converts.<\/p>\n
Bombers receiver Tommy Nield led all receivers with eight catches for 126 yards.<\/p>\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/cpnewspro.com\/assets\/20260612010628\/6a2b99a8f5f45073faf51147jpeg.jpg\")
Winnipeg\u00a0Blue Bombers\u2019 Major Williams (24) defends against Hamilton Tiger-Cats\u2019 Larry Rountree (37) as he runs for the first down during second half CFL football action in\u00a0Winnipeg\u00a0on Thursday, June 11, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/John Woods<\/p>\n
Hamilton rookie American running back Larry Rountree III finished the game with 23 carries for 124 yards. Bombers veteran star Brady Oliveira was held to eight runs for 32 yards.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think he took us by surprise,\u201d\u00a0Winnipeg\u00a0head coach Mike O\u2019Shea said of Rountree. \u201cThere\u2019s no play design in defensive football that says we\u2019re going to leave two gaps uncovered.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo if it happens, if there\u2019s a big space there, somebody\u2019s not in the right gap. And then you compound it by missing a tackle, and those big yards are made.\u201d<\/p>\n
Winnipeg\u00a0led 10-7 after the first quarter and the Tiger-Cats had a 24-10 edge at halftime. It was 24-13 heading into the fourth.<\/p>\n
UP NEXT<\/p>\n
Tiger-Cats: Host the B.C. Lions June 19 in their home opener.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bombers: Go on their first bye week.\u00a0<\/p>\n
NOTES: Hamilton defensive back Jamal Peters was taken off the field on a stretcher almost nine minutes into the first quarter. He was tackling Nield and his helmet hit Nield\u2019s knee. The Ticats announced on social media Peters was conscious and in good spirits on the way to hospital. Milanovich said he didn\u2019t have update.<\/p>\n
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2026.<\/p>\n
This is a corrected story. A previous version incorrectly reported some Ticats went to a casino on game day. In fact, it was the day before the game.<\/p>\n
\t\tKeep it Factual<\/p>\n
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