View source for 82nd Grey Cup

{{short description|1994 Canadian Football championship game}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox Canadian football game
| number         = 82
| type           = Grey Cup
| image          = GC94.jpg
| image_size = 200
| date           = November 27, 1994
| stadium        = [[BC Place Stadium]]
| city           = [[Vancouver]]
| visitor name   = BC Lions
| visitor colour = BC Lions
| home name      = Baltimore F.C.
| home colour    = Baltimore F.C.
| visitor coach  = [[Dave Ritchie (Canadian football)|Dave Ritchie]]
| home coach     = [[Don Matthews]]
| visitor record = 11–6–1
| home record    = 12–6
| visitor1       = 3
| visitor2       = 7
| visitor3       = 10
| visitor4       = 6
| home1          = 0
| home2          = 17
| home3          = 3
| home4          = 3
| MVP            = [[Karl Anthony]], DB ([[Baltimore Stallions|Baltimore]])
| MV2            = [[Lui Passaglia]], K/P ([[BC Lions|Lions]])
| anthem         =
| referee        = [[Jake Ireland]]
| coin toss      =
| halftime       = [[Tom Cochrane]]
| attendance     = 55,097
| network        = [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]], [[Réseau des sports|RDS]]
| announcers     = (CBC) [[Don Wittman]] (play-by-play), [[James Curry (Canadian football)|James Curry]] and [[Dan Kepley]] (colour), [[Steve Armitage]] (sideline reporter, trophy presentation), [[Brian Williams (sportscaster)|Brian Williams]] (host), [[Ron Lancaster]] and [[Matt Dunigan]] (analysts).
| ratings        =
}}
The '''82nd Grey Cup''' was the [[1994 CFL season|1994]] [[Canadian Football League]] championship game played between the [[Baltimore Stallions|Baltimore Football Club]] and the [[BC Lions]] at [[BC Place Stadium]] in [[Vancouver]], British Columbia. It was the first championship in professional football history to feature a [[United States]]-vs-[[Canada]] matchup. The Lions won the game by a score of 26–23, on a last second field-goal by [[Lui Passaglia]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/page/his_greycup_recap1994 |title=Grey Cup: 1994 |publisher=Canadian Football League |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100912080612/http://www.cfl.ca/page/his_greycup_recap1994 |archive-date=2010-09-12 }}</ref>

==Game summary==
'''BC Lions''' (26) – TDs, [[Charles Gordon (Canadian football)|Charles Gordon]], [[Danny McManus]]; FGs, [[Lui Passaglia]] (4); cons., [[Lui Passaglia|Passaglia]] (2).

'''Baltimore F.C.''' (23) – TDs, [[Tracy Ham]], [[Karl Anthony]]; FGs, [[Donald Igwebuike]] (3); cons., [[Donald Igwebuike|Igwebuike]] (2).

'''First quarter'''<br />
BC – FG Passaglia 47-yard field goal 2:24<br />
'''Second quarter'''<br />
BAL – TD Ham 1-yard run (Igwebuike convert) 8:39<br />
BAL – TD Anthony 46-yard lateral interception return from Walton (Igwebuike convert) 9:21<br />
BC – TD Gordon 17-yard interception return (Passaglia convert) 12:48<br />
BAL – FG Igwebuike 17-yard field goal 14:08<br />
'''Third quarter'''<br />
BAL – FG Igwebuike 26-yard field goal 4:34<br />
BC – TD McManus 1-yard run (Passaglia convert) 9:39<br />
BC – FG Passaglia 42-yard field goal 14:08<br />
'''Fourth quarter'''<br />
BC – FG Passaglia 27-yard field goal 3:09<br />
BAL – FG Igwebuike 29-yard field goal 8:26<br />
BC – FG Passaglia 38-yard field goal 15:00

The [[Grey Cup]], exclusively a [[Canada|Canadian]] event for the first 82 seasons of its existence, became an international affair when [[Baltimore Stallions|Baltimore]] became the first U.S.-based club to vie for the trophy. The appearance of an American team in the Grey Cup united Canadian fans for the first time behind the Lions as representatives of Canada. The 82nd Grey Cup is considered by many to be one of the ten best [[Grey Cup]] games of all time, because it was a nail-biter from start to finish.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20120718031339/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/GreyCup/2006/11/13/2339461.html ]}} </ref>

[[Kent Austin]] started at quarterback for the Lions, which was somewhat of a surprise given that his backup, [[Danny McManus]], engineered a last-second victory over the [[Calgary Stampeders]] in the West Final. Austin was playing with a tender left shoulder, but it didn't prevent him from moving the Lions downfield to set up [[Lui Passaglia]]'s 47-yard field goal for the initial points of the game.

Baltimore responded in the second quarter to take a 14–3 lead. Quarterback [[Tracy Ham]] put Baltimore on the scoreboard on a one-yard run, while [[Alvin Walton]] picked off an Austin throw and completed a lateral pass to [[Karl Anthony]] who scampered 36 yards for Baltimore's second touchdown.

The Lions got a defensive touchdown of their own when [[Charles Gordon (CFL)|Charles Gordon]] intercepted a pass by Ham and scored on a 17-yard return. Baltimore added a late field goal by [[Donald Igwebuike]] to take a 17–10 halftime lead.

Austin, who was playing with an injured shoulder, was ineffective for B.C., getting intercepted three times. With a minute remaining in the first half, head coach [[Dave Ritchie (Canadian football)|Dave Ritchie]] turned to [[Danny McManus]].  A week earlier in the Western Final, McManus had also relieved an injured Austin and orchestrated a second-half come-back.

Baltimore added to its lead with another field goal. But the momentum shifted in B.C.'s favour late in the third quarter. Setting up for a 34-yard field goal, holder [[Darren Flutie]] took the ball, jumped to his feet and ran to his right to the 10-yard line, giving the Lions a first down. Three plays later, McManus scored on a third down gamble.

B.C. tied the score with 52 seconds remaining in the third quarter on Passaglia's 42-yard field goal. The score was deadlocked at 23–23 after both clubs exchanged field goals in the fourth quarter.

Passaglia had an opportunity to kick a 37-yard field goal with 1:02 left in regulation, but he missed. However, Baltimore was unable to advance the ball on their next possession, going two-and-out, and giving the ball back to BC with excellent field position.  Passaglia received another opportunity for the winning kick with no time remaining, and he made good on a 38-yard attempt to keep the Grey Cup in Canada. Passaglia's last-second field goal was named the greatest play in BC Lions history in 2007.<ref name="Greatest play">{{Cite web|url=http://www.bclions.com/index.php?module=newser&func=display&nid=18192|title=Greatest play in BC Lions history - Number 1|access-date=2007-07-20|publisher=bclions.com|date=2007-07-19}}</ref>

===Statistics and awards===
At the end of the game, Lions kicker [[Lui Passaglia]] was announced as the [[Grey Cup MVP|Most Valuable Player]] and awarded the trophy.  Running Back [[Sean Millington]] was announced as the [[Grey Cup Most Valuable Canadian|Most Valuable Canadian]].  However, it was later learned that the actual winner of the MVP vote was Baltimore's Karl Anthony, who was the first player to be awarded with such an honour in a losing cause.  The vote had actually taken place before Passaglia's game-winning field goal, while the game was still tied.  Instead of receiving MVP honours, Passaglia was awarded with the Most Valuable Canadian Award for the second time in his career.

Baltimore's [[all-star]] running back, Mike Pringle had only 71-yards rushing and fullback [[Robert Drummond (gridiron football)|Robert Drummond]] had 38-yards rushing for a total of 109 yards.  The Lions rushing tandem of running back [[Cory Philpot]] and fullback [[Sean Millington]] combined for 194-yards rushing, with Philpot having 17 carries, for 109-yards rushing and Millington having 13 carries, for 85-yards rushing. Furthermore, Philpot and Millington gained those yards against an impressive Baltimore defence that was exempt from following the CFL's import rule and was made up solely of American players. There is a common perception that such a team would be stronger than one which was required to have Canadian players.

The same Lions defence that limited Baltimore's running game, were also able to get four sacks on Baltimore's Tracy Ham and [[John Congemi]] (sacked on his only play of the game). The Lions' defensive front of [[Andrew Stewart (gridiron football)|Andrew Stewart]], [[Angelo Snipes]], [[Doug Petersen (Canadian football)|Doug Petersen]] and [[Henry Newby]] had one sack, each.

The teams had about equal time of possession, with the Lions having 31:22 compared to Baltimore's 28:38.

== Trivia ==
This was the last Grey Cup to be won by the host city until [[99th Grey Cup|2011]], which was also won by the BC Lions at BC Place.

The 1994 BC Lions Championship team was inducted to the [[BC Sports Hall of Fame]], which is located inside [[BC Place Stadium]].

==1994 CFL playoffs==
===West Division===
* Semi-final (November 12 @ [[Edmonton, Alberta]]) [[BC Lions]] 24–23 [[Edmonton Eskimos]]
* Semi-final (November 13 @ [[Calgary, Alberta]]) [[Calgary Stampeders]] 36–3 [[Saskatchewan Roughriders]]
* Final (November 20 @ [[Calgary, Alberta]]) [[BC Lions]] 37–36 [[Calgary Stampeders]]

===East Division===
* Semi-final (November 12 @ [[Baltimore, Maryland]]) [[Baltimore Football Club]] 34–15 [[Toronto Argonauts]]
* Semi-final (November 13 @ [[Winnipeg, Manitoba]]) [[Winnipeg Blue Bombers]] 26–16 [[Ottawa Rough Riders]]
* Final (November 20 @ [[Winnipeg, Manitoba]]) [[Baltimore Football Club]] 14–12 [[Winnipeg Blue Bombers]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Baltimore Stallions}}
{{BC Lions}}
{{82nd Grey Cup}}
{{Grey Cup}}
{{1994 CFL season by team}}

[[Category:Grey Cup]]
[[Category:1994 in Canadian football|Grey Cup]]
[[Category:Canadian football competitions in Vancouver]]
[[Category:1994 in British Columbia|Grey Cup]]
[[Category:Baltimore Stallions]]
[[Category:BC Lions]]
[[Category:1990s in Vancouver|Grey Cup, 82]]
[[Category:1994 in Canadian television|Grey Cup]]
[[Category:November 1994 sports events in Canada|Grey Cup]]