It would appear that squads coming off of a Grey Cup winning campaign tend to carry a bit of a hangover into Week 1. The champs are 5-5 SU (straight up) but just 2-7-1 ATS (against the spread) in the opening week of their Cup-defending season.
The runners up fare a bit better ATS going 5-5 in the opening week.
As for totals, the under seems to be the trend to open the season. Both the champs and their Grey Cup victims post an O/U record of 3-7 in the opening week. A little gun-shy perhaps in the normally high-scoring game style of football north of the border.
Here is a look back at the past 10 seasons with the defending Grey Cup champs and the runners up.
Grey Cup champions: 5-5 SU, 2-7-1ATS, 3-7 O/U
Runners up: 5-5 SU, 5-5 ATS, 3-7 O/U
The Toronto Argonauts are the defending Grey Cup champions and are 4.5-point faves at home against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Week 1. The total is currently 55.
The Calgary Stampeders took the loss in last year's Grey Cup and open the season as 3-point home favorites against the B.C. Lions. The total is currently 52.
