Opportunity to win Grey Cup as crossover team "really excites" Brady Oliveira
Jason Halstead/CFL.ca
TORONTO -- Winnipeg Blue Bombers running back Brady Oliveira is excited about another opportunity to become the first crossover team in CFL history to get to the Grey Cup.
"No team has ever done it. I still love that challenge, and I know we're all still up for that challenge, and that really does fire me up, and that excites me," Oliveira said during a media conference on Friday prior to Saturday's Eastern Semi-Final presented by Wegovy, when asked about getting a second chance to make history.
"It excites our entire group to go out there and do it for one another and go accomplish our goal."
Oliveira and the Blue Bombers faced the same situation last year and were eliminated by the Montreal Alouettes in a 42-33 loss.
The league's leading rusher (1,493 yards) knows it won't be any easier this time around in Toronto against the Argonauts — only two of five CFL.ca writers picked Winnipeg to advance. That being said, both teams finished with identical 9-9 regular-season records.
It all shapes up to be a hard-fought battle, with the main storyline being that Oliveira will be taking handoffs from quarterback Dru Brown, who's starting in place of the injured Zach Collaros (ribs).
The Eastern Semi-Final gets underway on Saturday afternoon at BMO Field.
Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. ET and can be watched on TSN, RDS, CTV, Crave and CFL+.