1975 CFL season

The 1975 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 22nd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 18th Canadian Football League season.

CFL News in 1975

Calgary became the first city in the Canadian Prairie Provinces to host the Grey Cup championship game. CFL changed the rules on blocking by allowing contact to be above waist level on punt returns. The two-point convert was introduced to the league.

Tragedy struck the CFL on October 11, when Hamilton Tiger-Cats star defensive lineman Tom Pate suffered an aneurysm in the fourth quarter against the Stampeders at McMahon Stadium. Pate was not able to regain consciousness and eventually died two days later at the age of 23. A year later, the CFLPA announced the Tom Pate Memorial Award in his honour to be awarded to the player who best personifies a unique combination of outstanding sportsmanship and dedication to the league and the community.

Regular season standings

Final regular season standings

Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points

Western Football Conference
Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Edmonton Eskimos 16 12 4 0 432 370 24
Saskatchewan Roughriders 16 10 5 1 373 309 21
Winnipeg Blue Bombers 16 6 8 2 340 383 14
Calgary Stampeders 16 6 10 0 387 363 12
BC Lions 16 6 10 0 276 331 12
Eastern Football Conference
Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Ottawa Rough Riders 16 10 5 1 394 280 21
Montreal Alouettes 16 9 7 0 353 345 18
Hamilton Tiger-Cats 16 5 10 1 284 395 11
Toronto Argonauts 16 5 10 1 261 324 11

Grey Cup playoffs

Main article: 63rd Grey Cup

The Edmonton Eskimos are the 1975 Grey Cup champions, defeating the Montreal Alouettes, 9–8, at Calgary's McMahon Stadium. This was the first Grey Cup game to be held in the prairies. Montreal's Steve Ferrughelli (RB) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player on Offence and Lewis Cook (DB) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player on Defence. Edmonton's Dave Cutler (K) was named Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian.

Playoff bracket

  November 9: Division Semifinals     November 16: Division Finals     November 23: 63rd Grey Cup @ McMahon Stadium – Calgary, AB
                           
  East     E2  Montreal Alouettes 20  
  E3  Hamilton Tiger-Cats 12     E1  Ottawa Rough Riders 10    
  E2  Montreal Alouettes 35         E2  Montreal Alouettes 8
      W1  Edmonton Eskimos 9
  West     W2  Saskatchewan Roughriders 18    
  W3  Winnipeg Blue Bombers 24     W1  Edmonton Eskimos 30  
  W2  Saskatchewan Roughriders 42  

CFL Leaders

1975 CFL All-Stars

Offence

Defence

1975 Eastern All-Stars

Offence

Defence

1975 Western All-Stars

Offence

  • QB – Ron Lancaster, Saskatchewan Roughriders
  • RB – Willie Burden, Calgary Stampeders
  • RB – George Reed, Saskatchewan Roughriders
  • RB – Lou Harris, BC Lions
  • TE – Tyrone Walls, Edmonton Eskimos
  • WR – Rhett Dawson, Saskatchewan Roughriders
  • WR – George McGowan, Edmonton Eskimos
  • C – Al Wilson, BC Lions
  • OG – Ralph Galloway, Saskatchewan Roughriders
  • OG – Willie Martin, Edmonton Eskimos
  • OT – Charlie Turner, Edmonton Eskimos
  • OT – Layne McDowell, BC Lions

Defence

  • DT – John Helton, Calgary Stampeders
  • DT – Tim Roth, Saskatchewan Roughriders
  • DE – George Wells, Saskatchewan Roughriders
  • DE – Bill Baker, BC Lions
  • LB – Harry Walters, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
  • LB – Larry Cameron, BC Lions
  • LB – Joe Forzani, Calgary Stampeders
  • DB – Ted Dushinski, Saskatchewan Roughriders
  • DB – Brian Herosian, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
  • DB – Lorne Richardson, Saskatchewan Roughriders
  • DB – Vernon Roberson, Calgary Stampeders
  • DB – Jim Marshall, Saskatchewan Roughriders
  • DB – Larry Highbaugh, Edmonton Eskimos

1975 CFL Awards

References

Preceded by
1974 CFL season
CFL seasons Succeeded by
1976 CFL season