TORONTO 鈥� James Franklin鈥檚 one-yard TD run with under three minutes remaining rallied the Toronto Argonauts to an exciting 24-23 win over the B.C. Lions on Saturday afternoon.
Franklin staked Toronto (3-5) to a 24-20 advantage at 2:59 of the fourth. It capped an impressive 87-yard, 12-play march.
Tyler Long鈥檚 46-yard field goal at 6:37 pulled B.C. (3-5) to within 24-23.
Toronto appeared poised to clinch the win when Marcus Ball had a clear path to the endzone on an interception. But he fumbled and it was recovered by the Lions鈥� Chris Rainey at the B.C. 22.
But Ball earned his redemption when he recovered Manny Arcenaux鈥檚 fumble at centre field with 38 seconds remaining. That thrilled the season-high BMO Field gathering of 18,104 with the CNE underway.
It marked Toronto鈥檚 second straight comeback win with starter McLeod Bethel-Thompson as B.C. led 17-10 at the half. Bethel-Thompson threw four second-half TD passes to rally the Argos from a 24-point deficit for a stunning 42-41 home win over the Ottawa Redblacks on Aug. 2.
Bethel-Thompson finished 18-of-29 passing for 260 yards with one touchdown in his second CFL start.
Lions鈥� starter Travis Lulay was 21-of-35 passing for 285 yards with a touchdown and interception.
On to Saskatchewan
鈥� BC Lions (@BCLions)
The game was Lions coach Wally Buono鈥檚 final regular-season visit to Toronto. The CFL leader in coaching victories (276-161-3) and seven-time Grey Cup winner (twice as a player, five times as a coach) will retire at the end of the year and fell to 32-16 against the Argos.
Toronto improved to 11-4 coming off the bye since 2011. B.C. fell to 0-5 on the road this season.
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Bethel-Thompson was drilled on the play but still found Anthony Coombs on a 20-yard touchdown pass at 10:26 of the third, cutting the Lions鈥� lead to 20-17. Coombs was playing in his first game of the season after recovering from an ankle injury.
Long gave B.C. a 20-10 lead with a 45-yard field goal at 5:46.
Jeremiah Johnson and Bryan Burnham had B.C.鈥檚 touchdowns. Long booted three field goals and two converts.
Medeiros finished with three field goals, two converts and a single.
Medeiros鈥檚 44-yard field goal at 13:53 cut B.C.鈥檚 half-time lead to 17-10. It came after Johnson scored on a two-yard run at 12:26 and Lulay鈥檚 44-yard TD strike to Burnham at 3:16.
Johnson鈥檚 touchdown came after B.C. stopped Martese Jackson on a third-and-two gamble at the Lions鈥� 47-yard line.
Medeiros also had a 69-yard punt single at 1:29.
Toronto led 6-3 after the first after Medeiros field goals of 32 yards at 9:43 and 39 yards at 13:24 respectively. Long鈥檚 34-yard kick at 6:12 capped a 59-yard, 12-play drive that included former Argo Cody Fajardo鈥檚 13-yard completion to Otha Foster on third-and-two.
Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press
