The University of Miami and Rutgers University accepted invitations to play in the 2023 Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, Dec. 28, with kickoff scheduled for 2:15 p.m. (ET). This year marks the 13th edition of the game and the ninth consecutive Pinstripe Bowl to feature competitors from the Big Ten and ACC.
A virtual (Zoom) press conference with the teams’ head coaches and athletic directors, along with Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl representatives, will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 5, at 1 p.m. ET. Further information will be provided in a separate release.
Miami will make its 45th all-time bowl appearance (20-24) and first under head coach Mario Cristobal. Cristobal, a standout offensive lineman for the 1989 and 1991 Miami national championship teams, is in his second season as the head coach of his alma mater. The Hurricanes will be making their second appearance in the Pinstripe Bowl (also 2018 vs. Wisconsin). They also become the second ACC team to play in the Pinstripe Bowl multiple times (in nine games of the bowl’s partnership with the ACC), joining Boston College. Additionally, this will mark Miami’s third overall trip to the Bronx after playing once at the original Yankee Stadium, in the 1962 Gotham Bowl, losing to Nebraska, 36-34.
The 2023 Pinstripe Bowl marks the Hurricanes’ first bowl game selection since the 2021 Sun Bowl (did not participate due to COVID-19) and their 35th bowl game selection in the last 41 seasons (since 1983). The Hurricanes appeared in the AP Top 25 for five consecutive weeks this season (Week 3–7), reaching as high as No. 17. Miami (7-5, 3-5 ACC) clinched bowl eligibility by defeating Virginia, 29-26, in overtime on Oct. 28.
The Hurricanes were prolific offensively this season, ranking second in the ACC in yards per game (441.2) and third in points per game (32.1). Fourth-year junior Xavier Restrepo (993 yards) and junior Jacolby George (851 yards) formed one of the top wide receiver duos in the ACC, ranking second and fourth, respectively, in receiving yards in the conference this season. Additionally, Restrepo’s 74 catches ranked second in the ACC this season. Both Restrepo (First Team) and George (Third Team) earned All-ACC honors. Fourth-year junior running back Henry Parrish Jr. rushed for a team-leading 579 yards and six touchdowns this season, leading the ACC with 6.5 yards per carry.
On the opposite side of the ball, the Hurricanes featured a stout run defense this season, leading the ACC in rushing yards allowed per game (97.1), while ranking sixth in the conference in total defense (324.1 yards allowed per game). Miami was one of just 12 teams in the FBS to hold opponents to less than100 rushing yards per game this season. Standout junior linebacker Francisco Mauigoa, who earned All-ACC Second Team honors, recorded 17.0 tackles for loss this season, tied for the second-most in the ACC and tied for the ninth-most in the FBS. The Hurricanes secondary is highlighted by junior safety Kamren
Kinchens, who tallied five interceptions this season, tied for the most in the ACC and tied for the fifth-most in the FBS. Additionally, Kinchens took home All-ACC First Team honors for the second consecutive year.
“We are excited to accept a bid to the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl in venerable Yankee Stadium,” said Miami Vice President/Director of Athletics Dan Radakovich. “Visiting New York to play in a bowl game at such an historic venue is a great reward and a memorable opportunity for both our student-athletes and our fans.”
“We are excited for the opportunity to compete against a great program like Rutgers in the Pinstripe Bowl, hosted by a championship organization in the New York Yankees,” said Miami's Mario Cristobal. “Our players have worked extremely hard for another chance to compete, and I know our players, coaches and our staff are looking forward to the opportunity.”
Rutgers will make its 12th all-time bowl appearance (6-5) and eighth under head coach Greg Schiano (5-2). The Scarlet Knights will be making their third appearance in the Pinstripe Bowl, tying Syracuse University for the most in the game’s history. This will also mark Rutgers’ first appearance in the Pinstripe Bowl as a member of the Big Ten, making them the ninth different team from the conference (in nine games of the bowl’s partnership with the Big Ten) to play in the game. The Scarlet Knights split their previous two Pinstripe Bowl matchups, defeating Iowa State, 27-13, in the second edition of the game in 2011 and falling to Notre Dame, 29-16, in 2013. Additionally, this will mark Rutgers’ fourth appearance at the current Yankee Stadium (also defeated Army, 27-12, in a regular season game on Nov. 12, 2011), trailing only Syracuse (five) for the most games played at the venue. The Scarlet Knights also played nine times at the original Yankee Stadium – all against NYU – going 1-7-1.
During Schiano’s first tenure as head coach (2001-11), Rutgers made six bowl game appearances over seven seasons from 2005-11 (2005-09, ‘11), winning five of those games (2006-09, ’11). After returning to the Scarlet Knights’ sideline in 2020, Schiano guided Rutgers to the 2021 Gator Bowl, the program’s most recent bowl appearance and its first since 2014. Rutgers (6-6, 3-6 Big Ten) clinched bowl eligibility with their 31-14 win at Indiana on Oct. 21.
The Scarlet Knights featured a run-heavy offense in 2023, ranking fourth among Big Ten teams in rushing attempts (472), tied for third in rushing touchdowns (21), fourth in rushing yards per game (165.4) and fifth in rushing yards (1,985). Junior running back Kyle Monangai ranks among the best backfield weapons in the Big Ten this season, leading the conference in rushing yards (1,099). The Roseland, N.J. native and Don Bosco Prep alumnus also ranks second in the Big Ten in attempts (217) and rushing yards per game (91.6), sixth in yards per attempt (5.1) and seventh in touchdowns (seven). Monangai’s breakout season earned him All-Big Ten Second Team honors. Junior quarterback Gavin Wimsatt added to Rutgers’ ground attack with 488 rushing yards and a team-leading nine rushing touchdowns (fourth-most in the Big Ten). Serving as a solid dual-threat quarterback, Wimsatt’s also thrown for 1,651 yards and nine touchdowns.
On the defensive side, Rutgers has held its opponents to 21.0 points per game. The Scarlet Knights are one of seven teams in the Big Ten ranked in the top-29 nationally in points allowed per game. Senior linebacker Deion Jennings leads the Scarlet Knights with 86 total tackles and 7.2 tackles per game. Junior defensive back Robert Longerbeam ranks second in the Big Ten with 10 pass breakups and tied for third with 11 total passes defended. Additionally, junior defensive back Max Melton recorded a team-high three interceptions and ranked second in total passes defended (nine).
“Congratulations to Coach Schiano, his staff and our remarkable student-athletes on their invitation to the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl,” said Rutgers Director of Athletics Pat Hobbs. “This will be a great opportunity for the team to play in front of our fans one more time this year, and at an iconic venue. I want to thank the Yankees organization for their selection. We look forward to being part of a first-class event.”
“We are thrilled about the opportunity to continue our season and play in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl,” said Greg Schiano. “The bowl experience is a reward for the players. We are blessed with a chance to be together for the next month and to compete against an excellent opponent. Having played in the Pinstripe Bowl before, we know the Yankees do a tremendous job in making this a memorable time for our program. New York is a great place to be for the holidays and we look forward to seeing our fans at Yankee Stadium.”
“We are thrilled to host student-athletes, staff and families from the University of Miami and Rutgers University at the 2023 Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl,” said Mark Holtzman, Executive Director of the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. “The holiday season in New York City will provide a spectacular setting for the entire docket of bowl-related activities, and Yankee Stadium will provide a majestic stage for these two fantastic universities to showcase their programs. With many Miami alumni who call New York home and Rutgers’ large and devoted following in the local area, we will undoubtedly have an electric atmosphere at Yankee Stadium as we add to the legacy of ‘New York’s Bowl Game.”
“We can’t wait to have Miami and Rutgers take the field in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. These two teams embody the power, performance and attitude that makes college football the sport we all love,” said Peter Ballantyne, CEO of Bad Boy Mowers. “We look forward to hosting the players and fans in New York City and adding another chapter to the storied history of Yankee Stadium.”
A new feature of this year’s game will include a Field Goal Kick Scholarship Competition at halftime, in which one student selected by each school will have the opportunity to win a scholarship of up to $35,000. Each student will be able to choose where they want to kick their field goal: the 5-yard line ($10,000), the 10-yard line ($20,000) or the 20-yard line ($35,000). If either student does not make the field goal from their selected spot, they will still be rewarded with a $5,000 scholarship as a consolation prize. The scholarship will be sponsored and funded by Bad Boy Mowers as a way of providing a positive and impactful future for students across the country.
This year’s game will be nationally televised by ESPN and broadcast by ESPN Radio.
Special events, promotions and community outreach will take place throughout Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl week to once again create an unforgettable experience for fans, families, students and staff. Scheduled visits to New York City institutions will include One World Observatory, the 9/11 Memorial, Radio City Music Hall and more.
The night before the game, on Dec. 27, the bowl will be publicly recognized by an iconic New York City landmark as the Empire State Building will be lit in the school colors of Miami and Rutgers.
Tickets for the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl are currently on sale at www.pinstripebowl.com, the official website of the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. For up-to-the-moment information regarding the game, fans are also encouraged to follow the Bowl game’s official Twitter and Instagram accounts – @PinstripeBowl.
About the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl
Established in 2010, the Pinstripe Bowl (www.pinstripebowl.com, @pinstripebowl on Twitter and Instagram) has featured many memorable moments in recent college football history. “New York’s Bowl Game” is played at the world-renowned Yankee Stadium, which is home to the New York Yankees, New York City Football Club and many other sporting, cultural and business events. The 2023 Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl will take place on Thursday, Dec. 28, at 2:15 p.m. (ET), featuring the University of Miami from the Atlantic Coast Conference and Rutgers University from the Big Ten Conference. The game will be nationally televised by ESPN and broadcast by ESPN Radio.
About Bad Boy Mowers
Headquartered in Batesville, Ark., Bad Boy Mowers is the brand that revolutionized the zero-turn lawn mower game. Bad Boy was the first brand to market zero-turn mowers to rural landowners and homeowners (not just commercial mowers) with a simple promise: A better mower at a better price. Bad Boy became the fastest growing zero-turn mower in America, extending its engineering expertise into other categories, including Bad Boy’s line of tractors, the Bandit UTV and the E-Series of 80-volt handheld tools. Bad Boy is known for sporty design, uncompromising power, relentless innovation and a signature attitude that is truly one-of-a-kind. This led to the brand’s slogan, “Power. Performance. Attitude.” Learn more at www.badboymowers.com.