It's a rivalry that dates back almost half a century, a rivalry that is at the heart of Canadian football.

They first met in the Grey Cup in 1954, when men like Jackie Parker, Johnny Bright, Red O'Quinn and Sam Etcheverry ruled the gridiron during the golden era of the CFL.

In the seventies, Warren Moon, Marv Levy, Dave Cutler and Sonny Wade added their legendary names to the long list of luminaries who waged war against each other, thus ushering in a new era in the historical battle.

And so the legend grew.

Now, after a 23-year hiatus, they're at it again. Yes, Winnipeg and Hamilton have met in the final more times, but more than any other match up, the Edmonton Eskimos versus the Montreal Alouettes stands as the archetypal Grey Cup game.

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Tom Higgins talks about facing the Alouettes in the Grey Cup

With 34 total Grey Cup appearances between them, it's a wonder the Eskimos and Alouettes have only met in the Grey Cup eight times.

The first meeting came in 1954 when the nine-team, two-division league format was born, marking the birth of the modern era of the CFL.

The Eskimos (11-5) and the Alouettes (11-3) were the class of the league and met in the final at Toronto's Varsity Stadium before 27, 321 fans.

The Eskimos won a 26-25 thriller in one of the seminal Grey Cup games that established several records that still stand today, including most total yards by one team (Montreal, 656), most pass receptions (13, Red O'Quinn of Montreal), most pass receiving yards (316 by O'Quinn), the longest pass reception (90 yards, Sam Etcheverry to O'Quinn) and the longest fumble return (90 yards, Jackie Parker).

A year later, Montreal and Edmonton renewed their rivalry in Vancouver before 39, 417 onlookers. This time around, the outcome was never in doubt as the Eskimos handed the Als a 34-19 thrashing.

Normie Kwong led the way for the Eskimos, rushing for 145 yards in a game that featured 1115 total yards of offence by both teams (a Grey Cup record). Etcheverry threw for 508 yards (another record) in a losing cause.

Edmonton and Montreal made it three years in a row in 1956, with the big game shifting back to Toronto. Edmonton rolled to a 50-27 victory, the third-highest scoring game in Grey Cup history. Edmonton's Johnny Bright rushed for 171 yards (a Grey Cup record) in a game that also set the record for most touchdowns by both clubs with eleven (seven by the Eskimos).

The landmark 1954-56 series between the Eskimos and Alouettes helped to put the Grey Cup on the map, producing over 3200 yards of total offence and 181 total points, setting the offensive standard by which all future Grey Cups would be judged.

After playing each other three years in a row, the Als and Eskies didn't meet again until the 1974 final in Vancouver. This time, Montreal exacted a small measure of revenge, besting the Eskimos 20-7.

A year later, they were at it again in Calgary. Unlike the games from the fifties that featured incredible displays of offence, the '74 title game was one of the lowest scoring Grey Cups ever.

Playing in -30C weather, Edmonton prevailed over Montreal with a slim 9-8 victory in a game that's most memorable moment came when a female streaker dashed across the field.

By contrast, the 1977 Grey Cup returned to the high-powered offensive displays that typified the battles between the clubs in the fifties.

Playing before a home crowd of 68, 318 at Olympic Stadium (a Grey Cup record), Montreal rolled to a 41-6 thrashing of the Eskimos. Montreal held Edmonton to a paltry 102 yards of offence (another Grey Cup record), nine first downs and forced ten turnovers in thumping the Eskimos.

A year later in Toronto, Edmonton beat the Als 20-13. The win marked the the birth of the famous Edmonton dynasty, as the Eskimos would go on to win five consecutive Grey Cups.

The last meeting between the two came in 1979 before 65, 113 spectators in Montreal.

As both clubs won two Grey Cups in the seventies, this was the rubber match to determine the team of the decade.

Montreal, with their high-powered running game led by league MVP David Green took on the Eskimos, anchored by a young quarterback by the name of Warren Moon, who was spurned by the NFL draft the year before.

When the dust cleared, it was Moon and the Eskimos who emerged victorious, defeating Montreal 17-9 and earning the crown of the giants of the midway.

Which brings us to this year.

Just like in 1979, these two teams were the class of the CFL, winning their respective divisions and breezing through the playoffs to get to this point.

Stoking the issue even more is the feud brewing off the field. Edmonton fired Alouette's coach Don Matthews 10 days into camp last season because of his behaviour, resulting in a severed relationship between Matthews and Eskimos GM Hugh Campbell.

Edmonton coach Tom Higgins, not wanting to get caught up in a war of words, remains quiet on the subject, and instead remains focused on the task at hand.

"The Als are a dynamic football club, and they deserve to be in the Grey Cup," Higgins told CBC's Brenda Irving after the West Final. "We're just going to have to buckle down and get ready to play our best football to be able to stay on the same field with them."

"It's going to be a tough battle. The only people we lost to (at home) were the Montreal Alouettes."

Long gone from the game are the stars of yesteryear that made this feud what it is. In their place are players like Anthony Calvillo, John Avery, Elfrid Payton and Ben Cahoon.

But if you watch very closely on Sunday, you can't help but see the indelible imprint the likes of Jackie Parker, Sam Etcheverry, Johnny Bright, Red O'Quinn and Warren Moon left on this truly historic Grey Cup match up.

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