Friday September 5th, 2025, at TD Place Stadium.
Down 10 points at the half, Dustin Crum rallied the Ottawa Redblacks in a stunning 34-33 comeback win over the BC Lions, hitting Eugene Lewis with the winning touchdown in the final seconds of regulation.
Ottawa’s last win is a distant memory now.
Fast-forward 13 months later, and the Redblacks enter Week 19 at BC still searching for their first victory since that win over the Lions more than a year ago.
Ottawa lost its final six regular season games in 2025.
The Redblacks picked up where they left off in 2026, losing 15 in a row to break the record for the worst start in CFL history.
At some point all the losses stop being just a streak and start being an identity.
Ottawa is three losses away from the first 0-18 season.
When the Redblacks started 0-10, FanDuel opened a market that had Ottawa to go 0-18 priced at +1500.
That number represented a 6.3 per cent implied chance.
Five losses later, FanDuel has Ottawa to go 0-18 at -140.
That number represents a 58.3 per cent implied chance.
The Redblacks are a 13.5-point underdog at BC tonight.
For perspective, the Lions produced the biggest upset of the season so far with a 35-19 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as a 7.5-point underdog back in Week 9.
No CFL underdog getting eight or more points at FanDuel has won outright this season.
That’s one long flight home if they don’t win in BC.
Ottawa to end the drought with a win tonight is +550.
The Redblacks to get their first win of the season against the Toronto Argonauts in Week 20 is +700 at FanDuel.
Ottawa to get its first win in its season finale versus the Hamilton Tiger-Cats is +230, which is down from +2500 when that market first opened back in August.
As somebody who bet the Redblacks to go 0-18 at +1500 and to get their first win against Hamilton in Week 21 at +2500, I’m tempted to hedge my bet again tonight with Ottawa +13.5 and hope they can at least keep it close.
However, with the Lions fighting for playoff position in a must-win at home, I’ll take my chances and let it ride with a chance to bet Ottawa live if they force my hand.
Where do the Redblacks rank among this year’s biggest disappointments in football?
Let’s dive into the numbers in this Morning Coffee column for Friday October 9th, 2026.
Are The Redblacks The Biggest Disappointment In Football?
The Redblacks have been the easiest fade in the CFL.
Where do they rank in terms of biggest disappointments across the CFL, NFL, and NCAA football?
It’s easy to forget now, but FanDuel set Ottawa’s regular season win total at over/under 8.5 back in the spring.
Believe it or not, some CFL fans bet the Redblacks to record nine or more wins before the season started.
That is easily the worst football futures wager you could have placed at FanDuel in 2026.
Following its last regular season win over the Lions back in Week 14 in 2025, Ottawa owned a 4-8 record.
The Redblacks lost their final six regular season games to finish the season 4-14.
Despite their struggles, there was optimism in Ottawa entering 2026 following the hiring of Ryan Dinwiddie as general manager and head coach and a busy offseason that featured significant roster changes.
The Redblacks weren’t considered a Grey Cup contender at +950, but it is worth noting that the two teams with longer odds are headed to the playoffs in the Toronto Argonauts (+1100) and the Edmonton Elks (+1900).
The loss of QB Bo Levi Mitchell topped the list of injuries that cost the Hamilton Tiger-Cats a shot at the playoffs this season.
In terms of the CFL’s biggest disappointments, the jury is out on where the Redblacks will land in the final rankings.
One of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Saskatchewan Roughriders, or Calgary Stampeders will miss the cut in the loaded West Division.
The Riders are the defending Grey Cup champion and entered this season as the second choice to win it all at +430 behind only the Montreal Alouettes at FanDuel.
The Bombers were the fourth choice to win it at +800.
The Stampeders were +950 to win the Grey Cup with the added pressure of hosting the big game in November.
There’s no doubt Ottawa is the biggest bust in the CFL.
However, if the Redblacks beat the TiCats in Week 21 and the Riders miss the playoffs, Saskatchewan could end up earning the title of biggest disappointment in the CFL.
Winnipeg or Calgary falling short of the postseason would also be a major disappointment.
In the NFL, the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans top the list of the biggest disappointments.
The Chargers and Texans were both top 10 choices to win the Super Bowl at FanDuel entering Week 1.
LA and Houston both opened with four straight losses.
Perhaps this isn’t the spark Jim Harbaugh’s team needs.
Expectations were sky high for the Chargers offence in fantasy football circles after the arrival of Mike McDaniels as offensive coordinator, but Justin Herbert has struggled, Ladd McConkey is injured, and Omarion Hampton isn’t the best fit in LA’s new-look offence.
The Texans were in the Super Bowl conversation entering the year on the strength of a dominant defence that forced 29 turnovers last season, but that group allowed an average of 35.0 points in losses to the Buffalo Bills and the Dallas Cowboys.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were among the NFL’s biggest disappointments at 0-4 entering Week 5, then they pulled off the biggest upset of the season with a 24-16 win over the Cowboys on Thursday Night Football.
Meanwhile, the Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans are still looking for their first win of the NFL season.
The Dolphins remain the favourite to finish with the NFL’s worst record at -115.
Miami is getting 6.5 points at home versus the Cincinnati Bengals at FanDuel this week.
Tennessee is the second choice in FanDuel’s market for the NFL’s worst record at +165.
No other team is shorter than +600 to finish at the bottom of the NFL standings.
The Titans have looked so bad that they are getting 7.5 points at home against the 0-4 Texans this week.
In the FBS, teams like UL Monroe, Northern Illinois, and Charlotte are still searching for their first wins.
In terms of NCAA football’s biggest disappointments, we can point to programs like Oregon, Texas A&M, Michigan, Oklahoma, Penn State, and Washington.
The spotlight is different at every level, and the higher the expectations, the bigger the disappointment if things don’t work out.
For Ottawa, it’s hard to imagine them pulling off an upset against an opponent that is in must-win territory as they chase first place in the CFL’s West Division tonight.
With the Argos clinching a playoff spot and the TiCats already eliminated, the Redblacks will get two solid opportunities to avoid the first 0-18 season in CFL history.
Sure, Ottawa has been the easiest fade in the CFL.
In terms of where they rank among football’s biggest disappointments in 2026, that is still to be decided.
Have a great weekend, everyone!