1979
Tagge missed the second half of the season with an injury that would also end his playing career. Led by Joe Paopao, the Lions lost five, but finished third with a 9-6-1 record, before bowing out to Calgary in the semi-final. Jim Young retired at the end of the season, and Norm Fieldgate became the second Lions player to be inducted into the Football Hall of Fame. Rising costs and an aging Empire Stadium cast a shadow over future prospects. To head off a crisis, the directors, led by past-President Jack Farley, developed a plan to sell debentures and seek a strong partnership with a major corporate sponsor to keep operations viable while waiting for a new stadium.
Western Football Conference Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Edmonton Eskimos 16 12 2 2 495 219 26
Calgary Stampeders 16 12 4 0 382 278 24
British Columbia Lions 16 9 6 1 328 333 19
Winnipeg Blue Bombers 16 4 12 0 283 340 8
Saskatchewan Roughriders 16 2 14 0 194 437 4
Eastern Football Conference Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Montreal Alouettes 16 11 4 1 351 284 23
Ottawa Rough Riders 16 8 6 2 349 315 18
Hamilton Tiger-Cats 16 6 10 0 280 338 12
Toronto Argonauts 16 5 11 0 234 352 10
Semi-Finals - B.C. 2 - Calgary 37
Semi-Finals - Hamilton 26 - Ottawa 29
Finals - Calgary 7 - Edmonton 19
Finals - Ottawa 6 - Montreal 17
Grey Cup - Edmonton 17 - Montreal 9
