2005 CFL season The 2005 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 52nd season in modern - day Canadian football , although it is officially the 48th Canadian Football League season . CFL News in 2005 . New ownership groups took controls of two CFL franchises in the 2005 season . The Calgary Stampeders were sold to an ownership group that is led by Ted Hellard and former Stampeder legend , John Forzani . After going through ownership in - fighting , the Ottawa Renegades announced that a new ownership group led by Bill Smith and former Ottawa Rough Riders owner , Bernie Glieberman , would take over the team . In April , the Toronto Argonauts plans to build a new stadium at York University had been cancelled due to rising costs . However , the owners of the Rogers Centre announced that the Argonauts would be able to remain at the stadium rent - free . Previously , the Argonauts were charged the highest in terms of rent than any other team in the CFL . Before the season began , the CFL through its partnership with Reebok , introduced new home and away uniforms for all nine teams . Third alternate uniforms were created for all of the teams with the exception of the Toronto Argonauts and the Hamilton Tiger - Cats . On June 11 , the first ever CFL game in Halifax , Nova Scotia is played for the special Touchdown Atlantic pre - season game between the Toronto Argonauts and the Hamilton Tiger - Cats , which ended in a 16 - 16 draw at Huskies Stadium . More than 2 , 303 , 455 fans filled the stadiums across the country to catch CFL games in 2005 , which was a 4 % increase from the 2004 season . The 2005 regular season attendance figure also became the all - time highest grossing regular season attendance record in CFL history , by breaking the previous record of 2 , 229 , 834 that was set in the 1978 season . In addition , it marks the fourth consecutive year of national attendance increases for the league . The 2005 season also saw television audience increases on TSN , CBC and RDS . TSN ' s CFL broadcast drew an average of 395 , 000 viewers for its 55 regular season games ( and one preseason game ) , the highest average CFL audience in TSN history . The figure eclipsed the 2004 average minute audience by 27 % , with ratings in the male 18 - 34 demographic specifically , increasing 30 % over last season . CFL on CBC recorded a 6 % increase in 2005 with an average audience of 462 , 000 ( versus 437 , 000 in 2004 ) . Average audiences in RDS were also on the rise in 2005 . With an 18 - game schedule , RDS averaged 201 , 000 viewers ( versus 189 , 000 in 2004 ) , a 6 % increase over last season . On October 28 , Saskatchewan linebacker , Trevis Smith was charged with aggravated sexual assault in Surrey , BC for allegedly having unprotected sex while knowing that he is HIV positive . Then on November 18 , Trevis Smith was charged with the same offence in Regina , Saskatchewan after another woman came forward alleging that Smith did not tell her that he was HIV positive before they had unprotected sex . A court date has been set for 2006 . On November 27 , the Grey Cup game was decided in overtime for only the second time in its 93 - year history , as the Edmonton Eskimos defeated the Montreal Alouettes , 38 - 35 in double OT , at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver , B . C . . Records and Milestones . Winnipeg slotback , Milt Stegall surpassed Allen Pitts ' mark for most career receiving TDs with 126 . Eskimos quarterback , Ricky Ray completed 479 passes , which marked the highest single season total for a quarterback . Winnipeg Blue Bombers punter , Jon Ryan broke Lui Passaglia ' s single season average punt record of 50 . 2 yards by averaging 50 . 6 yards per punt . The BC Lions started the season by winning 11 consecutive games and were two wins away of breaking the 12 - 0 record set by the 1948 Calgary Stampeders . The Lions could have broken the record , but eventually lost four straight games and ended their last seven games by going 1 - 6 . Regular season . " Note : GP = Games Played , W = Wins , L = Losses , T = Ties , PF = Points For , PA = Points Against , Pts = Points " " Teams in bold finished in playoff positions . X - clinched playoff berthY - clinched first place " Grey Cup playoffs . The Edmonton Eskimos are the 2005 Grey Cup Champions , defeating the Montreal Alouettes 38 - 35 in an overtime thriller played in Vancouver ' s BC Place Stadium . It was the first Grey Cup game in 44 years to go to overtime . The Eskimos ' Ricky Ray ( QB ) was named the Grey Cup ' s Most Valuable Player and the Eskimos ' Mike Maurer ( FB ) was the Grey Cup ' s Most Valuable Canadian .