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Tiger-Cats vs. RedBlacks Prediction: CFL Week 8 Point Spread, Odds
Hamilton, 2-4, struggled mightily against the Toronto Argonauts in Week 7, getting trounced 31-15 at home. Conversely, the Ottawa Redblacks, 3-3 and led by Dustin Crum under centre, pulled off their second consecutive wild victory, besting the Calgary Stampeders 43-41 in overtime.
The CFL odds nevertheless view this contest as a close one. Bob Dyce’s Redblacks are currently pinned as -3.5 favourites, with the total calculated at 48.5.
CFL Odds and Betting
Friday night is the second time this season that Hamilton and Ottawa do battle. The initial tilt came a few weeks ago in Hamilton when the Ticats earned their first win of the season, 21-13. On a larger scale, the Tiger-Cats are riding an eight-game winning streak over the Redblacks, dating back to the 2019 campaign. 2018 was the last time Ottawa earned a win over its provincial rival.
Regarding spreads, it’s been as straightforward as it gets for Hamilton. When they lose the match, they also fail to cover and vice versa. As such the 2-4 record in the standings is reflected in their efforts ATS. The over is 3-3 this season, but perhaps more intriguing is that through six games the over and under have alternated results. Take note that the under won last week.
The Redblacks have evened their tally against the spread to 3-3, thanks to back-to-back contests for which they were underdogs but won. As for how the outright wins and losses affect spread props, Ottawa is exactly like Hamilton. Winning translates to a cover and vice versa. The over is only 2-4 in Redblacks games.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Nobody was under any illusions that Week 7 would be easy. The undefeated Toronto Argonauts were in town and the Ticats were saddled with their third-string QB Taylor Powell. What resulted was, by and large, what should happen under such circumstances.
One of the only reasons the Argos won 31-15, which is not a flattering close final score, is that the Hamilton defence clamped down somewhat after the visitors stormed to a 20-0 lead in the second quarter. In Powell’s defence, he didn’t play badly per se, but most of his stats came after the three-score deficit was carved. Going 27-for-41 and 282 yards through the air is a decent day at the office. A paltry 63 yards on the ground put far too much pressure on the young stud.
The lone major score came courtesy of Powell’s legs very late in the game that cut the deficit to 23-15. WR Terry Godwin II has a good outing with 103 receiving yards and put some nice moves on defenders.
Ottawa RedBlacks
The Ottawa Redblacks have the honour of having participated in one of the great games of the season with their thrilling 43-41 overtime victory in Calgary last week. It was the second time in 2023 that the Stamps lost a memorable match at home that required extra time.
The bout was characterized by no fewer than seven lead changes if we include the game-winning score in OT. It was a breathtaking affair, with the clubs amassing a combined 881 yards of offence. Dustin Crum didn’t have to do too much with his arm, as Ottawa only gained 230 passing yards to Calgary’s 429. It was on the ground that the Redblacks kept drives alive and put pressure on the Stampeders’ defence. Crum has 63 yards, Devonte Williams ran for 57, Ante Milanovic-Litre added 35 (2 TDs), and Tyrrell Pigrome another 29. Given the recent results and the manner in which they’ve unfolded, Ottawa is the trickiest team to dissect right now. Are they really this good or did they play out of their minds two weeks in a row? Until they face Toronto or BC, betting against them seems unwise. Unless they crash down to Earth on Friday.
HAM
OTT