T.J. Birkel 
Nebraska Football
It’s official: Nebraska will play Boston College in the Pinstripe Bowl on December 28. The game will take place at Yankee Stadium in New York City. After finishing the regular season 6-6, many were predicting this is where the Huskers would end up. Here are three quick takes on Nebraska’s first bowl game since 2016.
Celebrate the Bowl Game. I’ll be honest, the Pinstripe Bowl against Boston College is not my idea of the stuff dreams are made of. For those of us who grew up watching the Huskers consistently play in New Year’s Day bowls, it could almost be considered a let down. But only almost. The last eight years have arguably been the worst in Nebraska football history. The program is trying to claw its way back to relevance, and step one is getting to a bowl game. As we’ve said many times on the Common Fan Podcast, just get us to a bowl game, any bowl game. There will be plenty of time in the offseason to dissect the 2024 season and some of the disappointments that came with it. For now, the Huskers desperately needed this – for the extra practices, for the perception of the program, and for the sense of momentum as Matt Rhule finishes up year two at the helm.
For the fans, it’s an opportunity to partake in the fun of bowl season, to enjoy another game, and hopefully to get one more win heading into the offseason. Coach Rhule said after the Huskers achieved bowl eligibility that this will be the last time they celebrate six wins – meaning they expect to be playing for more in the future. Husker fans sure hope so. But for now, it sure beats sitting at home while a bunch of other schools play in bowl games. And we can finally be done using Nebraska’s bowl-less streak as an Aflac trivia question!
Start Spreading the News. New York City for New Years, anyone? I’m fascinated to see how many Husker fans show up. The city that never sleeps is rather charming during the Christmas holiday season, and Husker Nation has been hankering for a bowl game since 2016. On the downside, it’s going to be cold (compared to Nashville or Tampa, where the Huskers could have ended up with another win or two), and it’s one of the most expensive places in the country to visit, especially this time of year. How many Husker fans will make the trip?
Another thing to consider is that there are about 432 cheap, daily flights from Boston to New York, and it’s a pretty easy drive for those who don’t want to fly. Will this look more like a home game for Boston College? Or will the Big Red take over the Big Apple?
A First in Husker History. If you’re having a hard time getting the blood flowing thinking about playing Boston College, perhaps it becomes mildly more interesting when you consider this will be the first time in history that the two teams meet on a football field. The Eagles come into the game having finished the regular season at 7-5, in the middle of the pack in the ACC. Of note, they beat Florida State (not as impressive as it looked at the time, but still), Michigan State, and Syracuse, and had close losses to Louisville, Missouri, and playoff-bound SMU. I wouldn’t expect BC to be a pushover, and we know the Huskers can’t take any team for granted. The boys in red will need to show up. If you’re going to make history, you might as well do it with a win.
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