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The Toronto Argonauts will have their revenge against the reigning Gray Cup champions, the Montreal Alouettes.

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Quarterback Chad Kelly threw four touchdowns and scored another to lead the Argonauts to a 58-38 CFL victory over the Ottawa Redblacks in the East Division semifinal on Saturday.

This dominant victory propelled the Argonauts to a fourth consecutive appearance in the Eastern final and allowed a revenge against the Alouettes, who surprised Toronto 38-17 a year ago.

“We know we’re going to make the most of it,” Kelly said. “We have to be ready to take on whatever they throw at us and be ready to go.”

Kelly and the Argonauts were not ready to face the Redblacks, falling behind 10-0 and 13-3 in the first quarter. But Toronto bounced back with an explosive 38-point second half, which included two pick-sixes.

Ottawa quarterback Dru Brown set CFL playoff records with 46 completions and 61 pass attempts. He threw three touchdowns, 476 yards and two interceptions which resulted in touchdowns in Toronto.

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The visitors were in the playoffs for the first time since 2018, but the semifinal defeat made it six defeats in their last seven outings.

The two teams totaled 96 points and tied a playoff record, set when the Alouettes beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the East Division semi-final in 2011.

“Offensively, we can be explosive,” said Argonauts head coach Ryan Dinwiddie. “Now we have to do it again next week.”

Kelly finished with 358 passing yards, completing 18 of 20 for 18,060 at BMO Field. He also ran for 29 yards on two carries. The Argonauts got a break in the final seconds of the first half. Brown rallied the Redblacks for a touchdown late in the half, finishing with an eight-yard pass to slotback Jaelon Acklin.

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But then they botched the ensuing kickoff, trying to throw a firecracker quickly down the middle of the field. Richie Leone’s kick hit the Argonauts’ front wall. Kerfalla Exume fell on the ball with three seconds remaining.

Toronto place kicker Lirim Hajrullahu nailed his 53-yard attempt to bring the home team within 23-20.

“We tried to execute a kick in the middle of the field,” Ottawa head coach Bob Dyce said. “We had six seconds left in the half, and my only regret is bad luck. He hit one of their players, and they were able to recover it and score a basket.

Toronto scored two touchdowns before the middle of the third quarter to take a 34-23 lead.

Kelly hit Davaris Daniels for his second touchdown, this time with a nine-yard strike. The drive was set up by a 15-yard run up the middle by Kelly. The Argonauts quarterback was dragged down by Redblacks linebacker Frankie Griffin, earning him an unnecessary 15-yard roughness penalty.

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Kelly showed his displeasure but was forced to leave the game due to concussion protocol.

He returned three plays later for his third touchdown pass.

On the Argonauts’ next drive, Kelly found Makai Polk for a 57-yard bomb. Three plays later, Kelly rushed for a 15-yard score. Kelly’s fourth touchdown, a 13-yard completion to Jake Herslow, came at 2:56 of the fourth quarter.

Ottawa’s Lewis Ward kicked his fourth field goal of the afternoon, this time from 42 yards, as the third quarter ended with Toronto ahead 34-26.

The Rouge et Noir had the ball for 24:11 of the first half but went into the locker room leading 23-20, settling for three goals.

Brown went an impressive 26 of 31 for 256 yards and two touchdowns in the first half.

“Right now it’s tough,” Brown said. “Because we don’t come back to work until the following year.”

Two quick touchdowns in the second quarter gave the Argonauts a 17-16 advantage. Kelly hit Polk for a 70-yard catch-and-run and Daniels for 41 yards. Polk finished with 158 yards on four receptions.

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