Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl: Rutgers vs Miami
By Stiofán Mac Fhilib
Bowl Season continues! 84 teams, 42 matchups, 35 different cities; if you thought the College Football postseason was restricted to the four teams in the playoffs, think again. In this game preview, we turn our attention to the Pinstripe Bowl:
Where and When
Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl
Location: Yankee Stadium, The Bronx, NY
Date: 28th December 2023
Time: 2:15pm (ET)
Story so far…
The Scarlet Knights took advantage of their out-of-conference schedule, and early Big Ten games, to get off to a fast 6-2 start to 2023. Securing bowl eligibility with four games remaining. Which was just as well as they lost all four of those remaining fixtures, as their Big Ten opponents improved. Now in his second stint as Head Coach in Piscataway, Greg Schiano finally had his first non-losing season this time around. His team have only played in eleven bowl games in their entire history. And as the team that played in the first ever CFB game, that is a lot of history. Schiano has coached in seven of those eleven.
Mario Cristobal, hired away at no little expense from Oregon, improved the Miami Hurricanes’ fortunes this season, achieving his first winning season (7-5) and Miami’s first bowl appearance since 2021. Like their opponents, they also got off to a 6-2 start before faltering down the stretch. When you then consider the opt outs, etc. for the Hurricanes since their last game, it becomes more difficult to envisage them ending their run of ten defeats in their last eleven bowl games.
The Quarterbacks…
Redshirt sophomore, Gavin Wimsatt is not a huge passing threat, completing less than 50% of his passes for 1,651 yards, 9 TDs and 8 INTs. However, his 9 TDs and almost 500 yards as a runner helped to keep opposing defenses honest. He struggled down the stretch of the Scarlet Knights’ regular season schedule, though the depleted Miami defense is not Iowa or Ohio State.
Miami’s QB situation is much more disjointed. Starter, Tyler Van Dyke has transferred to Wisconsin. His backup, Emory Williams, is out for the season with injury, and redshirt sophomore, Jacurri Brown, will make his 2023 debut in the Bronx. The Georgia native threw passes in five games in 2022, and like his Rutgers counterpart, is a threat with his legs. How quickly Cristobal can get him up to speed in the 15 available bowl practices will go a long way to determining if the Hurricanes can end their current four bowl losing streak.
Prospects to watch…
Rutgers
Kyle Monangai, Running Back – The local boy became the first Scarlet Knights’ back since Jawan Jamison in 2012 to rush for 1,000 yards in his junior season in 2023. In near-on 400 career carries he has rushed for almost 1,800 yards and 13 TDs without ever fumbling.
Mohamed Toure, Linebacker – The senior from New Jersey was second on the team in total tackles in 2023 with 84 and recorded a team-high 3.5 sacks, giving him 12.5 in his time at Rutgers. His ability to get after an inexperienced Miami QB is key to the Scarlet Knights’ hopes.
Miami
Xavier Restrepo, Wide Receiver – The Florida-born pass catcher had never had more than 25 receptions in a campaign before breaking out in his senior season to lead the Hurricanes with 74 catches for 993 yards and 5 TDs. With the offensive opt outs he will have an important role for Miami in New York.
Francisco Mauigoa, Linebacker – The California native spent three years at Washington State before transferring to south Florida. With 70 total tackles he was second on the team and led the Hurricanes with 7.5 sacks, earning second team all-ACC honours.
Prediction
Miami traditionally do not fare well in cold weather games but the forecast for the Bronx on gameday is milder than it could otherwise have been. However, between opt outs and injuries, I think the local Scarlet Knights can edge a low scoring affair and send Schiano into 2024 with the first winning season of his second term in New Jersey.
Rutgers 17-16 Miami
