Allen Named MVP as Edmonton Wins Grey Cup, 33-23

Sean Fleming kicked six field goals and quarterback Damon Allen was voted the most valuable player as the Edmonton Eskimos took advantage of seven turnovers to beat Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 33-23, Sunday night in the 81st Grey Cup.

Allen, formerly of Cal State Fullerton, rushed for 90 yards, passed for 226 and threw a two-yard touchdown pass for Edmonton, which lost to the Bombers in the final of the 1990 Grey Cup, the Canadian Football League title game. Lucius Floyd scored the Eskimos’ other touchdown on a four-yard run.

“They were so concerned about me running outside that I had to find a way to use everything in the offensive plan,” Allen said. “It’s the last game of the year and I had to lay it on the line.”

Winnipeg got touchdowns from Michael Richardson on a three-yard run and Sammy Garza on a quarterback sneak. Troy Westwood kicked three field goals for the Blue Bombers.

“I guess we just made too many mistakes at the beginning of the football game,” Winnipeg Coach Cal Murphy said. “We took some penalties and had a costly fumble in the kicking game early.”

Fleming’s six field goals tied the Grey Cup record shared by Don Sweet of the Montreal Alouettes (1977) and Paul Osbaldiston of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1986).

Garza was intercepted twice, the Bombers lost four fumbles and had a punt blocked.

Edmonton clinched the victory by driving from its 35-yard line to the Winnipeg two during the game’s final minutes, setting up Fleming’s final field goal.

The championship was the 11th for the Eskimos but the first for Coach Ron Lancaster, who won twice as a player.

“Damon got us the win,” Lancaster said. “He was no quarterback back in September, (but) I hope he sticks around for a while.”