Pinstripe Bowl 2016: Pittsburgh vs. Northwestern TV Schedule, Time and Odds

The 2016 Pinstripe Bowl boasts a must-see encounter and an incredible storyline thanks to the selection committee pitting the No. 23 Pittsburgh Panthers against the Northwestern Wildcats.

The Panthers (8-4) tout one of the nation's best offenses and stories thanks to NFL-bound running back James Conner, who beat cancer off the field and racks up dizzying stats on it.

The Wildcats (6-6) put strong numbers on the board as well and got a key win when it mattered most to secure a bowl bid. A strong rush defense sets out to shut down Conner in one of bowl season's best matchups.

Let's take a look at everything to know about Wednesday's early game.

Pinstripe Bowl 2016

Date: Wednesday, Dec. 28

Time (ET): 2 p.m.

Location: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York

Watch: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Tickets: ScoreBig.com

Over/Under: 65.5

Spread: Pittsburgh (-5.5)

Team Injury Reports

NAME	POS	STATUS
Avonte Maddox	DB	Prob Wed
Tyrique Jarrett	DL	Ques Wed
Amir Watts	DL	Ques Wed
Chawntez Moss	RB	Ques Wed
Jordan Whitehead	DB	Ques Wed
Tre Tripton	WR	Ques Wed
Phillipie Motley	DB	Prob Wed
Zach Challingsworth	WR	Ques Wed

NAME	POS	STATUS
Warren Long	RB	Ques Wed
Keith Watkins II	CB	Out for season

Injury reports courtesy of USA Today.

The Proper Sendoff

Conner, through it all, wants to cap his collegiate career on a high note.

Last year, Conner suffered a knee injury and a few months later was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. This year, cancer in the rearview mirror, he rushed for 1,060 yards and 16 touchdowns on a 5.1 yard-per-carry average.

It only makes sense most of the talk about the team ahead of the bowl has centered on Conner, with one of the highlights being this quote by offensive coordinator Matt Canada, according to Stats LLC (via ESPN.com):

"

I'm most impressed with the way he treats other people, from young people to older people from phone calls to visits and those are things that people don't see. There has been multiple cases just in my personal experience with James where he's taken way more time to talk with people than I would have ever thought. He understands their struggles and what he could do to help. He said 'here's my phone number, call me.'

"

On the field, Pittsburgh won three games in a row to close the season, including a 76-point outburst against Syracuse to finish it off. As a better example of how potent the attack can be, keep in mind the Panthers have upended a pair of strong conference champions, Penn State and then-No. 2 Clemson.

The Pittsburgh offense balances itself with quarterback Nathan Peterman, who sits on 26 touchdowns against six interceptions on the season. The term "balance" is applied loosely, though, as Canada has dialed up 295 passing attempts to 510 rushes.

So it goes with Pittsburgh—Northwestern will know exactly what is coming. Whether the Panthers get halted is another conversation.

Gunning for an Upset

The Northwestern offense looks game for a potential shootout. 

Quarterback Clayton Thorson threw for 2,968 yards and 21 touchdowns with only eight interceptions this year, leading an offense that even kept pace with then-No. 6 Ohio State in a late-October 24-20 loss.

Thorson's efficiency helped top wideout Austin Carr catch 84 passes for 1,196 yards and 12 touchdowns. It also kept running lanes wide for lead back Justin Jackson, a workhorse who carried the ball 266 times for 1,300 yards and 12 touchdowns.

The biggest problem for the offense is consistency. Northwestern managed seven points in a 9-7 loss to Illinois State and as many in a 21-7 loss to then-No. 8 Wisconsin, yet dropped 54 on Michigan State and 45 on Purdue in wins.

Against Conner and the Panthers, the Wildcats will need another strong performance from a rush defense only permitting 136.7 rushing yards per game.

In theory, the rush defense forcing Pittsburgh to the air in a one-dimensional approach could produce an upset. For a team with plenty of experience against big programs this year, the idea isn't so outlandish.

Prediction

John Heller/Associated Press

Las Vegas doesn't seem to believe the Wildcats can keep pace with the Panthers given the spread. 

Considering the Panthers dropped north of 40 points on both Penn State and Clemson, it's hard to argue. No team encountered has been able to reliably stop Conner, so it's hard to imagine Northwestern will finally discover the formula.

That said, the Wildcats do have a strong offense of their own, and leaning on a passing attack to keep up with a stout rushing approach will keep the game rather close.

In the end, Conner's ability to keep the Panthers on the field and controlling the clock will make the difference late.

Prediction: Pittsburgh 28, Northwestern 24

Statistics courtesy of ESPN unless otherwise specified. All betting information courtesy of OddsShark.

Follow Chris Roling (@Chris_Roling) on Twitter.