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Head-to-head CFL on CBC commentators Mark Lee and Chris Cuthbert breakdown the big game's combatants. Read The Numbers game: the 1-2-3 of the 91st Grey Cup Read The fans and the fanfare: Heroes, underdogs and last-minute shockers make the Grey Cup the most celebrated event in Canadian football. go to CBC's Archive Peacekeepers and pigskin: As it Happens talks to Canadian peacekeepers in Bosnia who will play their own football game in honour of the Grey Cup. Listen Grey Cup rivalry renewed Montreal and Edmonton clash for the ninth time. Read Small is beautiful John Avery may be small for the NFL, but he's put up some big numbers the CFL. Read Velcro hands Ben Cahoon's sticky hands have made him Anthony Calvillo's favourite target. Read

Last year, in his first full season as a starter, Maas led the Eskimos to first place in the West. This year, surrounded by a veteran team and spurred on by the fact that Edmonton would play host to the Grey Cup, the Eskimos pivot was expecting big things.

But, after leading the Eskimos to a 3-0 start and picking up a player of the week award, things started to go south for the 27-year old. In Week 4 he suffered a separated shoulder when he took a crushing hit from Saskatchewan's Shont'e Peoples. The shoulder kept him sidelined for three weeks, and then, when he tried to return, he was slowed by a bulging disk in his spine.

Fortunately for the Eskimos, Ray turned out to be a hidden gem. He coolly threw for four touchdowns in his first start and helped his team to a 37-27 win over the B.C. Lions. He went on to finish the regular season as the CFL's top-rated passer.

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CFL on CBC's profile of Ricky Ray

Not bad for a guy who barely attracted any interest when he graduated from Sacremento State University last year.

After getting no bites from the NFL and a quick tryout with the Calgary Stampeders, Ray decided to get on with his life, taking a job in the management training program at Frito Lay.

Part of the training meant driving a delivery truck and re-stocking shelves at variety stores with Cheetos and Doritos.

But the San Francisco 49ers decided to give him another look and Ray decided to give football another shot.

He didn't stick long with the 49ers, but soon ended up with Fresno Frenzy of the Arena Football League 2-- essentially the AFL's triple-A league. After a strong performance he signed with the Eskimos in June.

Ray's rise has drawn comparisons to St. Louis Rams' QB Kurt Warner, who also toiled in the AFL and stocked shelves in a grocery store before an injury to Rams' starter Trent Green propelled him into a starting role and Super Bowl stardom.

He actually plays a very similar game to Maas. Neither are great runners. They prefer to stay in the pocket, concentrate on executing the offence and occasionally go long. What has surprised many is the rookie's composure under pressure.

But Ray himself is quick to give credit to his teammates and Maas.

"Usually when it's your first year coming in there's a lot of new things to learn, you see that with rookies, they struggle at first," he told the CBC earlier in the season.

"(Success) for me was about getting a lot of reps and camp, being able to watch for Jason a few games. We both have similar styles of games so you see what he's seeing out there.

"Also it's about being on a good team…having great weapons on offence. We've got some great receivers, a great running back and an offensive line that's doing a great job."

Meanwhile, Maas has found it difficult to watch from the sidelines.

"I know what's causing the (back) pain and I'm willing to do anything to alleviate it, whether that means surgery, whether that means a couple more cortisone shots, whatever, I want to play this year," he told CBC in October.

That said, Maas said he's willing to play back-up if it means the Eskimos can bring the Grey Cup back to Edmonton.

"If Ricky starts the rest of the year and we win the Grey Cup I'm all for it. I just want to be a part of a winning team. I'm happy for Ricky and respect him a lot."

For Ray, the feelings are mutual.

"Jason was one of the first guys I met when I came up here and he's helped me a lot…we both respect each other's games and we just support whoever's out there," he says.