Two teams trying to shake off losing streaks collide Friday night when the Montreal Alouettes visit the Toronto Argonauts at BMO Field.
Montreal arrives at 13-4 but on a one-game skid, having dropped a 12-16 decision to the Saskatchewan Roughriders last time out. Toronto sits at 9-8 and has lost two straight, including a 39-40 heartbreaker against the Ottawa Redblacks in Week 20. Kickoff is set for 7:00 PM ET under clear skies, with TSN carrying the broadcast.
Game details
| When | Friday, October 23, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET |
| Where | BMO Field |
| TV | TSN |
| Line | Montreal Alouettes -2.5 | O/U 51.5 (market view) |
| Montreal Alouettes record | 13-4 |
| Toronto Argonauts record | 9-8 |
The matchup
Montreal's recent form has been feast or famine. Before the loss to Saskatchewan, the Alouettes beat that same Roughriders team 44-24, then ran through Winnipeg 37-10 and Hamilton 37-25 earlier in the stretch, with a 29-48 loss to BC mixed in. It is a team that can blow a game open or get knocked out of rhythm, and right now the pendulum is swinging the wrong way after back-to-back results went L then two wins in between before the most recent setback.
Toronto's slide has a similar shape. The Argonauts lost to BC 17-24 and now to Ottawa 39-40, but sandwiched in between were wins over Winnipeg 30-28, Edmonton 24-19 and Ottawa 26-23. The two sides already met once this season, with Toronto falling 30-37 on the road back in Week 2, so there is at least a recent data point on how this matchup tends to play out when both offenses get moving.
Key matchups
Davis Alexander leads the Alouettes in passing yards with 5257 this season, and he will need to carry the offense given the state of Montreal's skill group. Travis Theis, the team's leading rusher at 831 yards, is out with a knee injury, and top receiver Tyson Philpot, who has 1809 receiving yards, is doubtful with a shoulder issue. That puts even more on Alexander's arm against a Toronto defense anchored by Adarius Pickett, who leads the Argonauts with 103 tackles.
On the other side, Tucker Horn gets the start at quarterback for Toronto with Chad Kelly, the team's passing yards leader at 5067, sidelined by a knee injury. Samuel Hicks, Toronto's leading rusher with 413 yards, is listed among the starting backfield and will be a focal point for the offense. Montreal's Geoffrey Cantin-Arku, who has 85 tackles on the season, figures to be busy trying to slow him down.
Injuries that matter
Montreal's injury list is heavy on offensive weapons. Travis Theis (knee) and Cole Spieker (hamstring) are both out, Devonte Dedmon (knee) is also out, and Tyson Philpot and Tyler Snead are both doubtful with shoulder injuries. Up front, Braydon Noll is out with a head injury, and on defense the Alouettes are without Dylan Wynn (head), Faion Hicks (ankle) and Gabriel Lessard (knee). Kicker Jose Maltos Diaz, Montreal's leader in field goals with 40, is out with a wrist injury.
Toronto is dealing with its own absences. Chad Kelly is out with a knee injury, with Tucker Horn confirmed as the starter in his place. The Argonauts are also without offensive linemen Brandon Kemp (leg) and Ryan Hunter (head/shoulder), receiver Jake Herslow (head/chest), and on defense Ali Fayad (hamstring), Bubba Bolden (wrist/shoulder), Cameron Judge (hip) and Jeremiah Ojo (bicep).
Fantasy angles
Davis Alexander remains a strong start given his team-leading 5257 passing yards, though with Theis out and Philpot doubtful, Montreal may lean on him to spread the ball around rather than feed a single playmaker.
Tucker Horn takes over for Chad Kelly at quarterback for Toronto, stepping into an offense that still features Samuel Hicks, the team's leading rusher at 413 yards, as a clear workload piece.
Damonte Coxie, Toronto's top receiver with 1322 yards this season, is worth plugging in as the Argonauts' primary target with Kelly out and Horn needing a go-to option.
Lirim Hajrullahu has been steady for Toronto with 25 field goals on the year and is a safe floor play in a game projected to have scoring on both sides.
If Jose Maltos Diaz's wrist injury limits his usage further, Montreal's kicking situation is one to monitor before locking in lineups.
The pick
The market has Montreal as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 51.5, and the market score sits at Alouettes 27, Argonauts 25. Even banged up at receiver and running back, Davis Alexander gives Montreal the edge over a Toronto team still finding its footing with Tucker Horn under center.
Injury report
| Player | Team | Pos | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Braydon Noll | Montreal Alouettes | OT | Out |
| Cole Spieker | Montreal Alouettes | WR | Out |
| Travis Theis | Montreal Alouettes | RB | Out |
| Tyler Snead | Montreal Alouettes | WR | Doubtful |
| Tyson Philpot | Montreal Alouettes | WR | Doubtful |
| Devonte Dedmon | Montreal Alouettes | WR | Out |
| Dylan Wynn | Montreal Alouettes | DL | Out |
| Faion Hicks | Montreal Alouettes | DB | Out |
| Gabriel Lessard | Montreal Alouettes | LB | Out |
| Jose Maltos Diaz | Montreal Alouettes | K | Out |
| Brandon Kemp | Toronto Argonauts | OT | Out |
| Jake Herslow | Toronto Argonauts | WR | Out |
| Ryan Hunter | Toronto Argonauts | OT | Out |
| Ali Fayad | Toronto Argonauts | DL | Out |
| Bubba Bolden | Toronto Argonauts | DB | Out |
| Cameron Judge | Toronto Argonauts | LB | Out |
| Chad Kelly | Toronto Argonauts | QB | Out |
| Jeremiah Ojo | Toronto Argonauts | DL | Out |
Projected starters
| Pos | Montreal Alouettes | Toronto Argonauts |
|---|---|---|
| QB | — | Tucker Horn |
| RB | — | Samuel Hicks, Qualan Jones |
| WR | — | Dymere Miller, David Ungerer Iii, Tristan Ready |
Recent results
| Team | Last games |
|---|---|
| Montreal Alouettes | Wk20 L 12-16 vs Saskatchewan Roughriders, Wk19 W 44-24 vs Saskatchewan Roughriders, Wk18 W 37-10 vs Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| Toronto Argonauts | Wk20 L 39-40 vs Ottawa Redblacks, Wk18 L 17-24 vs BC Lions, Wk17 W 30-28 vs Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
Written by Trey Downs, an AI analyst, from News Hub Fantasy data (schedule, scores, box scores, injuries and depth charts). A second AI checked every claim against that data before it was published. Read how we use AI in our editorial standards.