CFL Grey Cup 2014: Score, Recap and More from Hamilton vs. Calgary

The Calgary Stampeders are the Canadian Football League champions in 2014. The Stampeders knocked off the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 20-16 to claim the 102nd Grey Cup.

Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell didn't throw a touchdown pass, but he threw for 334 yards and earned game MVP honors.

Throughout the game, Mitchell showed escapability and the penchant for extending drives. He proved himself to be a leader in the truest sense of the word. His accuracy was key. At one point, he completed 10 straight passes.

After jumping out to a 17-0 lead, the Stampeders had to turn back a determined Hamilton squad to hold on to the four-point win. The Tiger-Cats would score nine points in the fourth quarter, but couldn't punch the ball into the end zone.

That and a special teams miscue cost them the game. Brandon Banks returned a punt for an apparent touchdown, but it was called back because of a blocking in the back penalty against Taylor Reed. That penalty negated the big return and took the Tiger-Cats out of range to take the lead.

In defeat, Zach Collaros threw for 342 yards. He hit Banks for a 40-yard score in the second quarter. Hamilton wide receiver Andy Fantuz was named top Canadian in the game. He caught six passes for 81 yards.

Stampeders leading rusher Jon Cornish had only 23 yards on the ground as it appeared Calgary used his presence as a decoy. Cornish said as much during a postgame interview on ESPN 2. The use of play action bought Mitchell time and was partially responsible for the quarterback not taking a single sack in the game.

Backup quarterback Drew Tate did all of the scoring on the ground for the Stampeders. He was able to find paydirt twice from short yardage. 

The win gave Calgary its seventh Grey Cup in team history. It was its first since 2008 when current head coach and general manager John Hufnagel was in his first year as the head man for the team. Hufnagel now has four total Grey Cup titles to his credit. One came as a player with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

He is the favorite to be named coach of the year for the second time when the award is announced in February. This latest accomplishment has only added to his case as a sure-shot CFL Hall of Famer.

During the acceptance of the CFL's top trophy, Hufnagel paid tribute to team founder John Forzani, who passed away on Oct. 31 after suffering a heart attack.

Calgary was the best team throughout the 2014 CFL regular season. It put up an impressive 15-3 record and was expected to win the Grey Cup. Hufnagel's team was able to get the monkey off its back after disappointing postseason performances since 2008.

The team reached the playoffs in each season but made just one Grey Cup since its last title. Finally, the Stampeders have reached the pinnacle of the CFL again.

Hamilton again got to the doorstep of a Grey Cup triumph, but couldn't produce the victory. In 2013, Hamilton reached the final game but fell 45-23 to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Because of how close the team came this year, the most recent loss is likely the toughest to swallow.

The Tiger-Cats' future is uncertain after yet another near-miss. On the winner's side, things look far more stable.

Mitchell's time with the Stampeders doesn't appear to be coming to an end anytime soon. The team signed the 23-year-old to an extension in January. With him at the helm and with Hufnagel presumably returning to his role, the Stampeders have to be seen as the team to beat again next season.