1988 CFL season

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

CFL News in 1988

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 decides to dress 14-Imports, one of those imports have to be designated as a special teams player.

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. 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.

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

West Division
Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Edmonton Eskimos 18 11 7 0 477 408 22
Saskatchewan Roughriders 18 11 7 0 525 452 22
BC Lions 18 10 8 0 489 417 20
Calgary Stampeders 18 6 12 0 395 476 12
East Division
Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Toronto Argonauts 18 14 4 0 571 326 28
Winnipeg Blue Bombers 18 9 9 0 407 458 18
Hamilton Tiger-Cats 18 9 9 0 478 465 18
Ottawa Rough Riders 18 2 16 0 278 618 4

Grey Cup playoffs

Main article: 76th Grey Cup

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 (K/P) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian.

Playoff bracket

  November 13: Division Semifinals     November 20: Division Finals     November 27: 76th Grey Cup @ Lansdowne Park – Ottawa, ON
                           
  East     E2  Winnipeg Blue Bombers 27  
  E3  Hamilton Tiger-Cats 28     E1  Toronto Argonauts 11    
  E2  Winnipeg Blue Bombers 35         E2  Winnipeg Blue Bombers 22
      W3  BC Lions 21
  West     W3  BC Lions 37    
  W3  BC Lions 42     W1  Edmonton Eskimos 19  
  W2  Saskatchewan Roughriders 18  

CFL Leaders

1988 CFL All-Stars

Offence

Defence

Special teams

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

1988 Eastern All-Stars

Offence

Defence

Special teams

1988 Western All-Stars

Offence

Defence

  • DT – Gary Lewis, Saskatchewan Roughriders
  • DT – Brett Williams, Edmonton Eskimos
  • DE – Vince Goldsmith, Saskatchewan Roughriders
  • DE – Bobby Jurasin, Saskatchewan Roughriders
  • LB – Danny Bass, Edmonton Eskimos
  • LB – Greg Stumon, BC Lions
  • LB – Ken Ford, Calgary Stampeders
  • CB – Stanley Blair, Edmonton Eskimos
  • CB – Larry Crawford, BC Lions
  • DB – Richie Hall, Saskatchewan Roughriders
  • DB – Chris Major, Calgary Stampeders
  • DS – Don Wilson, Edmonton Eskimos

Special teams

1988 CFL Awards

References

Preceded by
1987 CFL season
CFL seasons Succeeded by
1989 CFL season