The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are officially a CFL crossover team this year as they aim to reach 112th Gray Cup berth, finishing third in the East Division.
The team finished the 2025 regular season with a 10–8 record, capping its ninth straight winning season, although they finished behind the Saskatchewan Roughriders (12–6), BC Lions (11–7) and Calgary Stampeders (11–7) in the West Division standings.
Playing in the East Division, which the Blue Bombers have called home for 21 seasons over the previous three stints, could be beneficial for Winnipeg, as the team is 4-6 against West Division opponents and 6-2 against East Division opponents this year.
Before the Blue and Gold visit the Montreal Alouettes in this year's Eastern Semi-Finals, let's take a look back at how crossover teams have fared since the rule was introduced in 1996.
1997 – BC Lions (8-10)
Lost Eastern Semi-Finals
The Leos became the first crossover team in CFL history, earning the third playoff spot in the Eastern Division over the rotten Winnipeg Blue Bombers (4-14) and Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2-16). The bad news for BC was that they had to play the powerful Montreal Alouettes (13-5) in the Eastern semi-finals, resulting in a 45-25 loss at Olympic Stadium. Mike Pringle rushed for 264 yards that day, which remains the CFL single-game playoff record.
2002 – Saskatchewan Roughriders (8-10)
Lost Eastern Semi-Finals
The Green and White made it into the postseason but were promptly defeated by the Toronto Argonauts, who were also 8-10 that year. The Boatmen won the game 24–14 as then-rookie Bashir Levingston, who was named All-CFL and the league's Most Outstanding Special Teams Player the following year, recorded an interception and return touchdown. This marked Toronto's first playoff victory in five years.
2003 – BC Lions (11-7)
Lost Eastern Semi-Finals
There was no parity in the CFL this season, with the West Division having four teams with at least 11 wins and the East Division only having one team with a winning record. Despite going just 9-9 in the regular season, the Toronto Argonauts routed BC in the Eastern semi-finals 28-7 as Damon Allen, playing for his former team, threw for 232 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
2005 – Saskatchewan Roughriders (9-9)
Lost Eastern Semi-Finals
The Montreal Alouettes (10-8) had only a slightly better regular-season record than the Roughriders but won the relatively lopsided East semi-final by a score of 30-14. Anthony Calvillo carried the Saskatchewan secondary for 302 yards and three touchdown passes, while Ben Cahoon had seven catches for 101 yards and a score. Marcus Crandell threw two touchdowns and three interceptions in the loss.
2008 – Edmonton Football Team (10-8)
Won Eastern semi-final
Lost Eastern Final
It was another strange year for the CFL, as all four Western divisions had winning records and three East division teams had losing records. Edmonton became the first crossover team to ever win the East semi-final when they beat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (8–10) 29–21, although they lost to the Montreal Alouettes (11–7) the following week in the East final by a score of 36–26.
2009 – BC Lions (8-10)
Won Eastern semi-final
Lost Eastern Final
BC limped into the playoffs after three games, but beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (9-9) 34-27 in the Eastern semifinals. The results weren't as pretty the following week, as the Lions lost to the eventual Gray Cup champion Montreal Alouettes (15–3) 56–18 in front of 53,792 fans at Olympic Stadium. That play was capped by John Bowman returning Travis Luley's interception 43 yards for a touchdown with just under one minute remaining.
2012 – Edmonton Football Team (7-11)
Lost Eastern Semi-Finals
This Edmonton team has the dubious honor of having the worst record of any crossover team in CFL history. The team also did not have much success in the postseason, losing to the Toronto Argonauts 42–26 (9–9) in the Eastern semi-finals. Over the next two weeks, the Boatmen defeated the Montreal Alouettes (11-7) and the Calgary Stampeders (12-6) to win the 100th Gray Cup at home at the Rogers Centre.
2014 – BC Lions (9-9)
Lost Eastern Semi-Finals
In a loss that cost then-head coach Mike Benevides his job, the Lions suffered one of the worst playoff losses in CFL history when the Montreal Alouettes (9-9) beat them 50-17. Kevin Glenn and Jonathan Crompton started this game at fullback for both teams, although Travis Partridge and Tanner Marsh at center completed the breakthrough at Percival Molson Stadium.
2016 – Edmonton Football Team (10-8)
Won Eastern semi-final
Lost Eastern Final
It was perhaps the most lopsided season in CFL history, as four Western Division teams finished with winning records and all four East Division teams had losing records. Edmonton beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (7-11) in the Eastern semi-finals, 24-21, but lost to the Ottawa Redblacks, 35-23 (8-9-1), in the Eastern finals. A week later, the Redblacks pulled off perhaps the biggest upset in Gray Cup history with a 39–33 overtime victory over the Calgary Stampeders (15–2–1).
2017 – Saskatchewan Roughriders (10-8)
Won Eastern semi-final
Lost Eastern Final
Saskatchewan beat the defending Gray Cup champion Ottawa Redblacks (8-9-1) in the Eastern semi-finals, 31-20, and visited the eventual Gray Cup champion Toronto Argonauts (9-9) the following week. The Boatmen won the Eastern Final 25–21, although the Roughriders came Very close to victory. With the score 21-18 with just over one minute remaining, Ricky Ray hit James Wilder Jr. with a 22-yard pass to convert on third-and-5, then Cody Fajardo two plays later threw a one-yard touchdown pass for the game-winner.
2018 – BC Lions (9-9)
Lost Eastern Semi-Finals
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats (8-10) had a worse regular-season record than the Lions this season, but they still blew the doors off them in the East semifinals, winning 48-8. Jeremiah Masoli lit up the BC defense, throwing for 259 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions in the win. The game was the last game coached by the legendary Wally Buono, who announced before the season that 2018 would be his last.
2019 – Edmonton Football Team (8-10)
Won Eastern semi-final
Lost Eastern Final
The Green and Gold were underdogs heading into the Eastern semifinals against the Montreal Alouettes (10-8), but beat the home team 37-29. Edmonton then visited the powerhouse Hamilton Tiger-Cats (15-3) in the East final, but lost a relatively one-sided game 36-16 as Brandon Banks caught four passes for 100 yards and a touchdown. The 2019 East semi-final victory over Montreal remains Edmonton's last playoff victory.
