Pinstripe Bowl 2014: Boston College vs. Penn State TV Info, Spread, Time, More
Boston College and Penn State head to the Big Apple in hopes of ending their late-season struggles, facing off in Saturday's 2014 Pinstripe Bowl.
Expectations were sky-high at the start of head coach James Franklin's tenure with the Nittany Lions, as they won four straight and had their bowl ban lifted around the same time. Then, the team sputtered to a 6-6 season after losing six of its last eight games entering its first bowl appearance since the Joe Paterno era.
Like Penn State, Boston College's expectations were much higher back in September after an upset of USC. The Eagles fell to Louisville and Florida State late in the year to drop two of three down the stretch.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Despite tough finishes for both teams, don't expect a small crowd at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, as Jack McCluskey of ESPNBoston.com noted:
Here's a look at everything you need to know for the Pinstripe Bowl.
When: Saturday, Dec. 27 at 4:30 p.m. ET
Where: Yankee Stadium, New York
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Spread (via Odds Shark): Boston College -2.5
Slowing a Runaway Train
Penn State's defense has answered the bell for most of this season, but it has rarely gone up against a dual-threat dynamo like Tyler Murphy.
The former Florida quarterback's transfer to Boston College for his final collegiate season turned out to be quite possibly the best decision of his life. He's come into his own with the Eagles, stepping up in their biggest games with his unique mixture of throwing ability and quick wheels.
Along with a heroic performance in a marquee win over USC, Murphy also broke the ACC single-season record for rushing yards for a quarterback—you know, the conference from which Michael Vick hailed.
Stifling strong offenses is nothing new to Penn State, which boasts a nationally dominant defense. It ranks atop the nation in stuffing the run, giving up just 84 yards per game.
But dealing with a dual-threat quarterback is a different deal, especially one with the breakaway speed of Murphy. Franklin seemed to admit as much to Ben Jones of StateCollege.com:
It will be easy for Penn State to target Murphy as the one to stop in the run game—after all, he leads the team in rushing by more than 300 yards. But if the Nittany Lions thwart the impact of bruising rusher Jon Hilliman in the middle, they'll have a much better chance of putting the onus on Murphy and getting more pressure on him.
Murphy has been strong on the ground, but he's thrown almost as many interceptions (10) as touchdowns (11). That should give Penn State the flexibility to send extra bodies in the backfield.
Of course, that will give Murphy mismatches with his favorite receivers. Will he be able to make the Nittany Lions pay?
Finding the Mojo
Saying Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg—and the entire offense, as a result—has lost his mojo down the stretch of 2014 could be viewed as an understatement.
The Nittany Lions' offensive leader has emerged as the best example in years of the sophomore slump. After an 18-touchdown freshman campaign, which he ended on a tear, he's been inescapably poor in 2014, with eight touchdowns to 15 interceptions.
The struggles have only gotten worse as the season has concluded. Ever since some shaky moments late in Penn State's double-overtime loss to Ohio State on Oct. 25, Hackenberg has just two touchdowns and six interceptions.
It's no coincidence the Nittany Lions lost three of their final five amid that stretch.
Franklin hasn't been convinced all season, however, that Hackenberg is the cause of the problem, per PennLive.com's Greg Pickel: "He's been good. I've tried to say this all year long; I don't really feel like Christian has been our issue. I've been saying since the end of spring ball that it was the development of all the guys around Christian that were going to allow him to continue to grow."
The spirits might be down for Hackenberg (and a few other offensive players) after the end of the season, but simply being in this game should be enough to lift them.
Just getting to a bowl game is a feat in itself, and the tough reality of Penn State's recent bowl ban has kept these players at home over the holidays one too many times. Getting a chance to play in a bowl was never a guarantee—even for the young Hackenberg.
The offensive struggles don't end with Hackenberg, but they start there. If he can settle into his game and make intelligent plays early, the offense should take off.
Prediction
For all of Penn State's defensive success this season, the unit hasn't had much experience facing mobile quarterbacks—except J.T. Barrett, who ran for 75 yards and two touchdowns against them. Don't be surprised if Murphy follows suit.
Boston College won't get whatever it wants on offense, but Murphy's dual-threat ability will ensure the unit keeps moving the ball. The Nittany Lions will struggle yet again under Hackenberg and an offense that is losing momentum as the season wears on.
It will be a defensive showcase, but Murphy will find a way to win.
Prediction: Boston College 20, Penn State 10
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
