The Ticats believe the officials cost them a Grey Cup.

On the record, players and coaches were saying all the right things after a penalty call on linebacker Taylor Reed negated what would have been an 90-yard, go-ahead punt return by Brandon Banks with under a minute to play as the Ticats lost the Grey Cup 20-16 to the Calgary Stampeders.

But privately, they think they got robbed.

“I feel terrible for the guys: we had an opportunity to win the football game. Could have easily won the football game,” head coach Kent Austin said, while declining to specifically address the call. “We need to get better as a league. It changes lives. It's important.”

A dejected Reed may have been sitting in his locker room stall after the game but he was a stand up guy when it came to answering questions about the situation.

“I'm taking 100 per cent responsibility. The ref made a judgement call,” Reed said. “It hurts to be the one that took a championship away from a great organization.”

Reed was flagged after making light contact with a Calgary player after Banks looked to have already run by. But special teams penalties are up by 24 per cent from last season and many have been of the marginal variety.

“I know a lot of things happen on special teams in this league. A lot of things. Some get called, some don't get called,” Austin said.

It ruined an improbable comeback by a scrappy Hamilton squad that rallied from an early 17-0 deficit and trailed by 10 early in the fourth. This Ticats team, which showed so much heart in coming back from a 1-6 record to make a second straight Grey Cup appearance, was resilient to the very end.

It was a theme Austin touched on in his post-game comments.

“I told them how proud I was of them turning the season around. Sometimes things don't work out: welcome to the game of life,” he said. “But it doesn't take away how hard they played and how close they were as a football team and what a great future we have in front of us.”

But as they did in last year's Grey Cup game, Hamilton fell behind early as the Stamps built a 17-0 lead that felt all but insurmountable, especially after a medium-range field attempt by Justin Medlock – the one reliable thing all season – was blocked.

Calgary offensive coordinator Dave Dickinson, the former quarterback who was named to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame this week, had his way with the Ticats defence, especially early. Play action provided quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell with plenty of time to throw – Hamilton didn't register a sack – and he finished 334 yards passing in being named the game's most outstanding player.

But an interception by Delvin Breaux gave Hamilton life in the fourth and the defence rallied to force some late two-and-outs. But Ticat quarterback Zach Collaros – who actually finished with more passing yards than his Calgary counterpart – could only convert the opportunities in field goals and that's been a major issue all season as Hamilton was last in red zone offence.

“We had plenty of opportunities but we needed to make more plays – they made more plays than I did,” Austin.

The Ticats were the youngest team in the league this season and he's had only two years to construct an organization that mimics his values. It's built on a foundation that features a young quarterback, quality Canadian talent and a rock solid front office.

“We've been to two Grey Cups, we haven't won them. We need to get better,” Austin said.“We need to be able to win these games but we're not there yet.”

But for a few precious seconds on Sunday night, it looked they were going to earn the franchise's first championship since 1999 – until it was taken away on a dubious call that changed CFL history.

“This will stay with me for the rest of my life. I hate losing,” “Especially with a group of guys that you believe in, that you trust. I hate it for them.”