Edmonton 33 Hamilton 28
EDMONTON — Mike Reilly scored a pair of touchdowns and passed for two more as the Edmonton Eskimos remained the only undefeated team in the CFL with a 33-28 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Friday.
It is the first time the Eskimos have been 6-0 to start the season since 1961.
Hamilton has still yet to win a game during the current campaign, falling to 0-6.
Edmonton started the scoring midway through the first quarter after using its only challenge to successfully earn a pass interference call in the end zone, leading to a one-yard quarterback sneak touchdown by Reilly. The convert kick was wide.
Hamilton bounced back just over a minute later as QB Zack Collaros found receiver Damarr Aultman — playing his first CFL game — for a 46-yard passing TD. The Ticats added a two-point convert pass to Luke Tasker to take an 8-6 lead.
The Eskimos regained the lead with 23 seconds left in the opening frame, as Reilly completed a 36-yard TD pass to Bryant Mitchell.
Hamilton responded with a 27-yard Sergio Castillo field goal.
Edmonton made it 20-11 with just over two minutes to play in the first half as Reilly called his own number for a five-yard TD run. The Esks added a 25-yard Hugh O’Neill field goal before halftime.
O’Neill kicked a 35-yarder five minutes into the third to make it 26-11 for Edmonton, but Hamilton responded with a seven-yard TD pass from Collaros to Brandon Banks.
The Ticats then closed to within five points with a 47-yard Castillo field goal late in the third.
The Eskimos padded their lead four minutes into the second on a 15-yard TD pass from Reilly to Vidal Hazelton.