As the days left in December dwindle, the best season is upon us, college football bowl season.
With that being said, Yankee Stadium is getting ready to host its 14th consecutive Pinstripe Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 28, at 12:00 p.m. This is the tenth year that the bowl will feature an ACC and Big Ten matchup. The 2024 Pinstripe Bowl will feature Boston College representing the ACC and Nebraska representing the Big Ten.
Boston College:
Season Record: 7-5 (8th in ACC)
Last Bowl Appearance: 2023 Fenway Bowl
Offense:
What may be the most intriguing part of Boston College’s offense this season is the quarterback change mid-season. Starting at quarterback at the beginning of the season for the Eagles was Thomas Castellanos, but after going 4-4 head coach Bill O’Brien made Grayson James the starter. In the three games he played in he went 2-1 and threw for 682 yards and four touchdowns. In Saturday’s game, Boston College will rely heavily on their run game. The Eagles rank 48th nationally in rushing (176 YPG) and 12th in rush attempts (41.92 APG). The primary back is Kye Robichaux who rushed for 725 yards and ten touchdowns this season.
Defense:
The Eagles’ defense has been solid this season allowing 24.1 points a game and 360.5 yards a game. A defensive standout to look for is interior lineman Cam Horsley. Horsley has 42 tackles on the season seven of which were for loss. The Eagles will be without star linebacker Donovan Ezeiruaku who has opted out to focus on the NFL Draft. Ezeiruaku has 80 tackles on the season and is second nationally in sacks with 16.5. One area that the defense has lacked in this season is a strong pass defense. Their 246.9 yards allowed per game ranked 111th in the nation.
Nebraska:
Season Record: 6-6 (12th in Big Ten)
Last Bowl Appearance: 2016 Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl
Offense:
Many people may find familiarity with Nebraska’s true freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola who gained internet popularity for his resemblance to NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Beyond his internet stardom, Raiola had a decent season throwing for 2,595 yards and 12 touchdowns. In Saturday’s matchup, he’ll be without receiver Isaiah Neyor who led the team in receiving touchdowns. Raiola will most likely target senior Jamahl Banks who led the team in receptions. Banks is a transfer from Wake Forest and the last time he played against Boston College he had two touchdowns. The Huskers will also be without leading rusher Dante Dowdell, so look for Emmett Johnson to carry the load like he did in the games following Marcus Satterfield’s demotion.
Defense:
Nebraska’s defense has shined bright this season as they’re top 20 in the nation in scoring defense (21.4), rushing defense (102.9), and total defense (316.9). While the transfer portal didn’t have a major impact on the offensive side, the defensive side took a hit losing a handful of key players. Such players include defensive end Jimari Butler and linebacker Mikai Gbayor who combined for 71 tackles. A key defensive player who will be suiting up for the Huskers is defensive lineman Ty Robinson who led the team with six sacks.
Nebraska and Boston College are pretty evenly matched which should make for an exhilarating day of football in the Bronx.
