3 thoughts as Nebraska football selected to Pinstripe Bowl

Nebraska football fans might not love the selection, but after the Huskers missed a bowl game for the last eight seasons, beggars can’t be choosers.

If Nebraska had beaten Iowa, there’s a good chance the Huskers would be headed to Tampa Bay or Nashville. But those spots are going to Michigan and Iowa.

Nebraska football, fresh off a 6-6 season, will square off against 7-5 Boston College in the Pinstripe Bowl. The game will be played on Dec. 28 at 11 AM CST on ABC.

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Here are three thoughts on the bowl game selection for Nebraska football.

A winnable game

Don’t sleep on Boston College. The Eagles are coached by Bill O’Brien and put together a winning season with maybe their most impressive win coming over nine-win Syracuse.

Grayson James has been playing quarterback down the stretch for Boston College. The Eagles have won two of three games with him as the starting quarterback and three of their last four.

So it’s not going to be a cakewalk. Nebraska football should have the talent advantage though. Boston College is used to playing in bowl games, but the Eagles will be motivated. They’ll be excited about this matchup and they should attract a good contingent of fans.

I’m sure it will be a pro-Nebraska crowd, but essentially every other potential destination would have been more exciting for Husker fans so we’ll see.

Fans are why Nebraska was sent to New York

If Michigan didn’t beat Ohio State, the Wolverines are probably going to the Pinstripe Bowl. Yet, since the Huskers finished 6-6, they couldn’t get picked over Iowa as much as the Music City Bowl probably wanted the Huskers.

That feels like a better fit and a better trip for fans. But the bowl selection committees were probably relying on the Nebraska fanbase to fill the seats. In terms of putting butts in the seats, the Pinstripe Bowl did incredibly well.

Nebraska football fans haven’t traveled to a bowl game since Mike Riley was the head coach, and the bowl executives are banking on that to get them to New York.

A winning season means something

I know that bowl games are “meaningless” outside of the College Football Playoff, but good programs win bowl games. Well-coached teams, tend to do well in postseason games.

Nebraska hasn’t been in one of these games since 2016. That should be motivation enough to win this game but a 6-7 season would leave a sour taste in the mouth of everyone.

Losing the last two games after that 44-25 win over Wisconsin would be deflating. Nebraska needs momentum and it would be good to win a trophy, even if it’s for a silly bowl game.

We talk all the time about how Nebraska football needs to learn how to win. This is another opportunity to do that.

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