1968-72 CFL Season Recaps

Originally published on Dec. 24, 2020

By Zane Miller

In seasons 11 through 15 of the Canadian Football League, the Ottawa Rough Riders won the Grey Cup in two of the five years with back-to-back wins, defeating the Calgary Stampeders 24-21 in 1968 and the Saskatchewan Roughriders 29-11 in 1969. Also winning championships were the Montreal Alouettes, who defeated the Stampeders 23-10 in 1970, with the Stampeders getting redemption in 1971 by winning 14-11 over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats before the Tiger-Cats rebounded in 1972 with a 13-10 victory over the Roughriders.

The Most Outstanding Player Award was won by a different player each year during this span, as Russ Jackson claimed his third MVP award in his final season, as well as the first of two MVP selections for Ron Lancaster.

1968 MVP: Bill Symons (Toronto Argonauts, RB)- 9 TD & 1,107 yds rushing

1969 MVP: Russ Jackson (Ottawa Rough Riders, QB)- 33 TD & 3,641 yds passing

1970 MVP: Ron Lancaster (Saskatchewan Roughriders, QB)- 16 TD & 2,779 yds passing

1971 MVP: Don Jonas (Winnipeg Blue Bombers, QB)- 27 TD & 4,036 yds passing

1972 MVP: Garney Henley (Hamilton Tiger-Cats, WR)- 7 TD & 881 yds receiving

1968 best record: Saskatchewan Roughriders (12-3-1, .800) Worst record: Montreal Alouettes (3-13, .188)

1969 best record: Saskatchewan Roughriders (13-3, .813) Worst record: Montreal Alouettes (2-10-2, .167)

1970 best record: Saskatchewan Roughriders (14-2, .875) Worst record: Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2-14, .125)

1971 best record: Toronto Argonauts (10-4, .714) Worst record: Edmonton Eskimos (6-10, .375)

1972 best record: Hamilton Tiger-Cats (11-3, .786) Worst record: Toronto Argonauts (3-11, .214)

1968 playoffs

Out in first round: Hamilton Tiger-Cats (L 33-21 to Argonauts), Edmonton Eskimos (L 29-13 to Stampeders)

Out in second round: Saskatchewan Roughriders (L 32-0 & W 25-12 to Stampeders), Toronto Argonauts (W 13-11 & L 36-14 to Rough Riders)

1969 playoffs

Out in first round: BC Lions (L 35-21 to Stampeders), Hamilton Tiger-Cats (L 15-9 to Argonauts)

Out in second round: Toronto Argonauts (W 22-14 & L 32-13 to Rough Riders), Calgary Stampeders (L 17-11 & L 36-13 to Roughriders)

1970 playoffs

Out in first round: Edmonton Eskimos (L 16-9 to Stampeders), Toronto Argonauts (L 16-7 to Alouettes)

Out in second round: Saskatchewan Roughriders (L 28-11, W 11-3 & L 15-14 to Stampeders), Hamilton Tiger-Cats (L 32-22 & L 11-4 to Alouettes)

1971 playoffs

Out in first round: Winnipeg Blue Bombers (L 34-23 to Roughriders), Ottawa Rough Riders (L 23-4 to Tiger-Cats)

Out in second round: Saskatchewan Roughriders (L 30-21 & L 23-21 to Stampeders), Hamilton Tiger-Cats (L 23-8 & T 17-17 to Argonauts)

1972 playoffs

Out in first round: Montreal Alouettes (L 14-11 to Rough Riders), Edmonton Eskimos (L 8-6 to Roughriders)

Out in second round: Winnipeg Blue Bombers (L 27-24 to Roughriders), Ottawa Rough Riders (W 19-7 & L 23-8 to Tiger-Cats)

Grey Cup results

 

Link to stats database: https://www.cflapedia.com/Years/1968details.html through https://www.cflapedia.com/Years/1972details.html