1988 CFL season

1988 CFL season
Duration	July 12 – November 6, 1988
East champions	Winnipeg Blue Bombers
West champions	BC Lions
76th Grey Cup
Date	November 27, 1988
Venue	Lansdowne Park, Ottawa
Champions	Winnipeg Blue Bombers
CFL seasons
← 1987 1989 →

The 1988 CFL season is considered to be the 35th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 31st Canadian Football League season.

The Canadian Football Network reached an agreement with the CFL to extend its network for two more seasons.

Game rosters were revised to consist of 20-Non Imports, 14-Imports and 2-Quarterbacks. The reserve list was lowered from 4 players to 2 players. In addition, if a team decided to dress 14-Imports, one of those imports had to be designated as a special teams player.

On June 23, the CFL All-Stars defeated the Edmonton Eskimos in the CFL All-Star Game in Edmonton, 17–4. Although the contest attracted an All-Star record 27,573 fans, no such game has been held since then.

On Monday, December 12, the CFL Board of Governors appointed Roy McMurty as Chairman/Chief Executive Officer and Bill Baker as President/Chief Operating Officer, succeeding Douglas Mitchell as the league's commissioner (both McMurtry and Baker served as the league's de facto co-commissioners for the 1989 season). Their appointments were confirmed on Sunday, January 1, 1989. The CFL Board of Governors also approved the sale of the Toronto Argonauts from Carling O'Keefe Breweries to Harry Ornest.

West Division view talk edit
Team	GP	W	L	T	Pts	PF	PA	Div	Stk
Edmonton Eskimos	18	11	7	0	22	477	408	6–4	W1	Details
Saskatchewan Roughriders	18	11	7	0	22	525	452	5–3	W1	Details
BC Lions	18	10	8	0	20	489	417	4–4	W3	Details
Calgary Stampeders	18	6	12	0	12	395	476	3–7	L1	Details

East Division

Team	GP	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pts	Season Details
Toronto Argonauts	18	14	4	0	571	326	28	Details
Winnipeg Blue Bombers	18	9	9	0	407	458	18	Details
Hamilton Tiger-Cats	18	9	9	0	478	465	18	Details
Ottawa Rough Riders	18	2	16	0	278	618	4	Details

• Bold text means that they have clinched the playoffs.
• Edmonton and Toronto have first round byes.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are the 1988 Grey Cup champions, defeating the BC Lions 22–21, at Ottawa's Lansdowne Park. This was the first Grey Cup game between two teams from west of Ontario, and the first to be won by a team which had only a .500 season. The Blue Bombers' James Murphy (WR) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player on Offence and Michael Gray (DT) was named Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player on Defence, while Bob Cameron (P) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian.

November 13: Division Semifinals

November 20: Division Finals

November 27: 76th Grey Cup @ Lansdowne Park – Ottawa, ON

E2

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

27

East

E1

Toronto Argonauts

11

E3

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

28

E2

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

35

E2

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

22

W3

BC Lions

21

W3

BC Lions

37

West

W1

Edmonton Eskimos

19

W3

BC Lions

42

W2

Saskatchewan Roughriders

18

• CFL Passing Leaders
• CFL Rushing Leaders
• CFL Receiving Leaders^[1]

• P – Bob Cameron, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
• K – Dave Ridgway, Saskatchewan Roughriders
• ST – Earl Winfield, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

• P – Bob Cameron, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
• K – Lance Chomyc, Toronto Argonauts
• ST – Earl Winfield, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

• P – Jerry Kauric, Edmonton Eskimos
• K – Dave Ridgway, Saskatchewan Roughriders
• ST – Henry Williams, Edmonton Eskimos

• CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – David Williams (WR), BC Lions
• CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Ray Elgaard (SB), Saskatchewan Roughriders
• CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Grover Covington (DE), Hamilton Tiger-Cats
• CFL's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award – Roger Aldag (OG), Saskatchewan Roughriders
• CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie Award – Orville Lee (RB), Ottawa Rough Riders
• CFLPA's Outstanding Community Service Award – Hector Pothier (OT), Edmonton Eskimos
• CFL's Coach of the Year – Mike Riley, Winnipeg Blue Bombers