Former Ohio State receiver Austin Mack made a nifty catch in the CFL Grey Cup Sunday night to set up the Montreal Alouettes’ first score.

And he finished first in the second half with a one-armed circus catch.

Mack’s 31-yard reception from quarterback Cody Fajardo came right before Stanback’s 32-yard rushing score a player later to pull Montreal to within 10-7 of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Blue Bombers led 17-7 at the half.

Mack, 26, had 79 catches for 1,050 yards and six touchdowns during four seasons at Ohio State. He went unselected in the 2020 NFL Draft. He signed a free agent contract with the New York Giants in 2020 and, after a few weeks on the practice squad, played in 11 games, collecting seven catches for 91 yards.

Mack jumped up to highpoint the pass down the middle of the field in the first quarter. He leads the Alouettes with three catches for 51 yards in the first half.

Early in the second half, Mack pulled in a 33-yard catch using only his right arm. That also set up an Alouettes touchdown one play later.

Mack was fifth in the CFL in 2023 with 1,154 yards. He was tied for fourth with 78 receptions. He had four touchdowns.

Hamstring injuries plagued Mack during stints with the Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers, and he never made their active rosters. He signed with Montreal before the 2023 season.

“For me, it’s been this uphill battle of trying to figure out and understand my body,” Mack told CFL.ca. “Once you get listed as an injury guy or a hamstring guy, especially soft tissue (injuries), it’s hard.

It was just working, working, working, and Montreal called. I feel like I did what I needed to do during the off-season to be ready, and it shows (on the field).”