Huskers.com
Nebraska will make its return to the postseason in New York City as the Huskers have been selected to play in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. Nebraska will meet Boston College in the game, set for Saturday, Dec. 28 at Yankee Stadium. The game will kick off at 11 a.m. CT (Noon ET) with ABC providing the television coverage.
Nebraska’s trip to the Pinstripe Bowl marks the 54th bowl trip in school history and the Huskers’ first since the 2016 postseason. Nebraska finished the season with a 6-6 record, highlighted by victories over Colorado and Wisconsin.
This is the first-ever meeting between Nebraska and Boston College. It marks Nebraska’s first meeting with a current member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since 2015, and the 17th all-time bowl game against a current ACC team.
“Our team is looking forward to the opportunity to spend the bowl season in New York City and play in the Pinstripe Bowl,” Nebraska Head Coach Matt Rhule said. “This is a great connection between two iconic brands in Nebraska football and Yankee Stadium, and it will be a memorable experience for our players. I have great respect for the Boston College program and the success Coach O’Brien has had in his first season.”
Nebraska’s postseason history includes a trip to New York City. Nebraska defeated Miami in the 1962 Gotham Bowl, marking the third bowl appearance in school history and the first victory.
“The University of Nebraska is proud to accept a bid to the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl,” Nebraska Director of Athletics Troy Dannen said. “Nebraska’s first-ever bowl victory occurred at the original Yankee Stadium in 1962, and we are excited to return to the postseason this year at one of America’s iconic sports venues. This bowl game will be a great opportunity for our players, staff and our fans.”
Nebraska has a strong alumni presence on the East Coast, with the New York City metro area home to nearly 1,800 University of Nebraska alumni.
“Nebraska asked for a bowl game, and this incredible group of student-athletes sure delivered,” University of Nebraska President Dr. Jeffrey P. Gold said. “I am so proud of our team and our coaching staff, and like so many others in this state, I’m thrilled to be a part of Husker Nation and eagerly anticipating the historic moment when the sea of red floods Yankee Stadium.”
Boston College comes into the game with a 7-5 record, including a 4-4 mark in the ACC. The Eagles won three of their final four games to close the regular season, with the only loss coming against SMU. BC also posted a non-conference victory over Michigan State.
The Eagles are under the direction of first-year head coach Bill O’Brien who previously served as the head coach at Penn State and with the NFL’s Houston Texans. The head coaching matchup between O’Brien and Rhule will mark only the second meeting in college football this season between two former NFL head coaches. The first of those was Nebraska’s regular-season victory over Rutgers.
Boston College boasts a strong run defense, ranking 22nd nationally in that category while rushing for 176.0 yards per game on the offense. The Eagles have also been strong in the turnover department, ranking 12th nationally in takeaways and 20th in turnover margin. BC also ranks among the nation’s least penalized teams, ranking 12th in the country in fewest penalties. Defensively, Boston College features the nation’s sacks leader in Donovan Ezeiruaku.
Huskers Athletic Fund (HAF) members and Nebraska Football season ticket holders receive priority on-sale access based on their HAF ranking. The tiered priority on-sale begins on Sunday, Dec. 8 and will conclude when tickets are sold out. If tickets remain after the priority on sale, the public can purchase beginning Wednesday, December 11 at 10 a.m. All sales are online, and tickets will be mobile delivery. Tickets range in price from $45 to $150.