WINNIPEG - The Ottawa Redblacks are focused on the present — winning the 103rd Grey Cup.

But the second-year franchise comes to the CFL championship game with a rich — albeit checkered — history that includes nine Grey Cups via the Rough Riders.

"This is a big one for us," veteran quarterback Henry Burris said Saturday. "It's been a long time since anything with the name Ottawa and professional football in the CFL has been in a big game like this.

"Is it something that's on our minds as far as what's happened in the past? No. Because right now we're just focused on what we've been able to accomplish. We're here right now. And all it takes is just winning one to truly set the world on fire."

Set the world on fire, asked a quizzical reporter?

"Our world," said Ottawa coach Rick Campbell.

Burris then broke into a verse of Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire."

"All right, Billy Joel references," the 44-year-old Campbell said approvingly.

The favoured Edmonton Eskimos will be looking to author their own soundtrack Sunday at Investors Group Field. The relaxed Eskimos danced up a storm Saturday during a brief workout session, shaking a leg and other parts of the anatomy to the likes of Puff Daddy and others.

The Redblacks have been loose all week during a Grey Cup buildup short on controversy but not charisma.

Burris, 40, has been gold all week, smiling and talking up a storm. The 44-year-old Campbell, meanwhile, has shown a dry sense of humour mixed with oodles of homespun common sense.

They have had plenty to celebrate. Both Burris and Campbell won awards (Most Outstanding Player and coach of the year, respectively), along with SirVincent Rogers (Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman) and receiver Brad Sinopoli (Most Outstanding Canadian).

The Redblacks have proved to be a team full of characters, savouring a 12-6 season after a 2-16 campaign out of the blocks.

It didn't take the city long to fall in love with football again.

"It was great to see their passion," said defensive lineman Justin Phillips, who grew up in the Ottawa suburb of Stittsville. "We had so many sellouts, the atmosphere was incredible."

The 30-year-old Phillips came to Ottawa from Calgary in February 2014 in the Redblacks' first trade.

"When I first wanted to come back to Ottawa, it was more for family reasons. But as I got there and got to be part of this thing, it turned into so so much more. I got to have a whole city rally behind us."

Sunday marks Ottawa's first participation in the Grey Cup since 1981, when the Riders lost 26-23 to the Eskimos. Ottawa's last Grey Cup win was in 1976, a 23-20 decision over Saskatchewan.

It's the 16th Grey Cup appearance for Ottawa (9-6 in the big game).

Founded in 1876, the Riders folded after going a 3-15 season in 1996. While the club had a well-stocked trophy cabinet from the past, it was withering on the vine. Ottawa had gone 18 seasons without recording double-digit wins.

Using a pick in the 1995 dispersal draft to take a player who had been killed in a car crash four months earlier only added to the Rough Riders' sad-sack lore.

The franchise was reborn as the Renegades in 2002 but that team closed shop after four seasons and a 23-49 record.

"It might be before their time but they're finding out pretty quick that Ottawa's a football city," Phillips said of his teammates. "And they were starving for it for years when it was away. Because the response from the community and the fans has been absolutely amazing. I think we're known throughout the league now as a football town."

Phillips was in junior high when the Renegades were around.

"I got to watch (quarterback) Kerry Joseph and a few years later I'm playing against him. It was kind of cool to see."

Ottawa has made one lineup change for the game.

Jeff Richards is in for injured defensive back Jerrell Gavins and will back up Jermaine Robinson. Brandon Sermons will start at cornerback.

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News from © The Canadian Press, 2015