Link: Full Game Notes
WHAT: Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl
WHEN: Saturday, December 28 | 11:00 AM (CT)
WHERE: Yankee Stadium | New York City, New York
TV: ABC (Mike Monaco, Kirk Morrison, Dawn Davenport)
RADIO: Huskers Radio Network (Greg Sharpe, Damon Benning, Jessica Coody)
NEBRASKA
Record: 6-6 (3-6 Big Ten)
Last Game: at Iowa (L 10-13)
Streak: Lost 1
Rank: NR
Head Coach: Matt Rhule (11-13, 2nd year at NU | 58-56, 9th year overall | 0-0 vs. Boston College)
BOSTON COLLEGE
Record: 7-5 (4-4 ACC)
Last Game: vs. Pittsburgh (W 34-23)
Streak: Won 2
Rank: NR
Head Coach: Bill O'Brien (7-5, 1st season at BC | 22-14, 3rd season overall | 0-2 vs. Nebraska)
THIS WEEK'S NUMBERS
1 - The matchup between Nebraska and Boston College in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl is the first between the two schools. Boston College is the 32nd different opponent Nebraska has played in a bowl game.
2 - The 2024 Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl is Nebraska's second bowl game in New York City. The Huskers' first-ever bowl victory was a 36-34 win over Miami in the 1962 Gotham Bowl played at the old Yankee Stadium.
54 - The Pinstripe Bowl will mark Nebraska's 54th all-time bowl game. The Huskers are 26-27 in bowl games in school history and are making their first bowl appearance since the 2016 season.
THE MATCHUP
Nebraska returns to the postseason on Saturday, December 28 when the Huskers take on Boston College in the 2024 Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. The game will be played at Yankee Stadium in New York City, with kickoff set for shortly after 11 a.m. CT (Noon ET). The Pinstripe Bowl will be telecast by ABC, and the game can also be heard on the Huskers Radio Network and the Husker App.
Nebraska is making its first postseason appearance since the 2016 season, after completing the regular season with a 6-6 record. Nebraska surged to a 5-1 record through the first half of the season and secured bowl eligibility with a November victory over Wisconsin. On the season, five of Nebraska's six victories have been by 18 points or more, while five of the Huskers' six losses have been by eight or fewer points. Nebraska's bowl trip marks the continuation of improvement in Head Coach Matt Rhule's second season at each of his three college coaching stops. Nebraska improved its win total by one game this season to return to a bowl game, and his Temple and Baylor teams also made big jumps in his second season.
Boston College posted a 7-5 record in the 2024 regular season, including a 4-4 mark in ACC games. The Eagles won three of their final four games, including victories over Syracuse, North Carolina and Pittsburgh. BC is strong at the line of scrimmage, rushing for 176.0 yards per game, while ranking 22nd nationally in rushing defense. The Eagles are a disciplined team, ranking 12th nationally in fewest penalties and 20th in turnover margin. Boston College is in its first season under head coach Bill O'Brien, who previously served as head coach at Penn State and with the NFL's Houston Texans.
HUSKERS RETURN TO POSTSEASON IN 54TH BOWL GAME
Nebraska is making its 54th all-time bowl appearance in the 2024 Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl and its first postseason appearance since the 2016 season. Nebraska's 54 bowl appearances tie for eighth nationally, and the Huskers have been victorious in a bowl game 26 times in school history.
- Nebraska played the first of its 54 bowl games in the 1941 Rose Bowl when No. 7 Nebraska lost to No. 2 Stanford, 21-13.
- Nebraska's first-ever bowl victory occurred at the old Yankee Stadium in the 1962 Gotham Bowl. Coach Bob Devaney's first Nebraska team posted a 36-34 victory over Miami in a game played in frigid temperatures before a crowd of just more than 6,000 fans.
- Nebraska had a streak of 35 consecutive seasons with a bowl game spanning from 1969 to 2003. The Huskers' streak began in the 1969 Sun Bowl and continued through the 2003 Alamo Bowl.
- Nebraska most recently played in the postseason following the 2016 season when Nebraska faced off against Tennessee in the Music City Bowl. The Music City Bowl appearance was the last in a streak of nine straight seasons with a bowl appearance. The Huskers' most recent bowl victory was a win over UCLA in the 2015 Foster Farms Bowl.
- Nebraska's Pinstripe Bowl opponent, Boston College, has been selected for a bowl game for the 31st time in school history. The Eagles have a 15-13 record in bowl games, with two cancellations.
HUSKERS LOOK TO EVEN BOWL RECORD
Nebraska will be looking to pick up a win against Boston College to even its all-time bowl record at 27-27.
- Coach Matt Rhule is the 10th Husker head coach to guide the Huskers to a bowl game.
- By coach in bowl games, Nebraska was 0-1 under Biff Jones; 0-1 under Bill Glassford; 6-3 under Bob Devaney; 12-13 under Tom Osborne; 2-3 under Frank Solich; 1-1 under Bill Callahan; 4-3 under Bo Pelini; 0-1 under Barney Cotton and 1-1 under Mike Riley.
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's meeting will mark the first-ever meeting in football between Nebraska and Boston College.
ACC SCHOOLS ARE FAMILIAR NEBRASKA BOWL OPPONENTS
The matchup with Boston College will mark Nebraska's first game against a current member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since a 2015 overtime loss at Miami (FL). However, Nebraska has a long history of facing current ACC schools in bowl games.
- The Pinstripe Bowl will be Nebraska's 18th bowl game against a current member of the ACC, and the first matchup with the conference in the postseason since a victory over Clemson in the Gator Bowl to conclude the 2008 season
- Against current ACC schools in bowl games, Nebraska is 0-1 against Stanford; 0-1 vs. Duke; 2-4 vs. Miami; 1-0 vs. North Carolina; 1-1 vs. Clemson; 0-4 vs. Florida State; 0-1 vs. Georgia Tech and 1-0 vs. Virginia Tech.
BIG RED IN THE BIG APPLE
Nebraska has played two games in New York City in its history, including one game at old Yankee Stadium. The Huskers are 2-0 in the Big Apple, including a 1-0 record in bowl games. In the 1962 Gotham Bowl at Yankee Stadium, Nebraska notched its first-ever bowl victory in Bob Devaney's first season, a win that propelled the Huskers to five national championships and 21 conference titles over the next 35 years.
Nebraska 14, Rutgers 0 (Nov. 2, 1920 at the Polo Grounds)
In Nebraska's first-ever game east of Michigan, the Cornhuskers shut out Rutgers at the Polo Grounds. The game was played on Election Day when Warren G. Harding was elected president of the United States by the largest popular vote percentage margin in history. The Huskers traveled by train to the game and had a travel roster of 25 players.
Nebraska 36, Miami (FL) 34 (Gotham Bowl - Dec. 15, 1962 at Yankee Stadium)
In Bob Devaney's first season, Nebraska won its first-ever bowl game with a 36-34 victory over Miami inside old Yankee Stadium. It was the second --and final-- Gotham Bowl ever played and the only one played in Yankee Stadium. Nebraska was not selected as Miami's opponent until December 4, just 11 days before the game. Each team scored at least one touchdown in all four quarters in a back-and-forth contest that saw Nebraska overcome three deficits. Willie Ross had a 92-yard kickoff return in the game, which is the longest bowl game kick return in school history.
NEBRASKA NO STRANGER TO MLB STADIUMS
Although many locations have changed with regards to Major League Baseball teams and stadiums throughout the 135-year history of Nebraska football, available research suggests the Huskers have played in seven stadiums that were home to an MLB team. Nebraska has played a total of nine games in MLB stadiums with the most recent occurrence taking place at the 1998 Holiday Bowl in San Diego.
- Nebraska boasts an 8-1 record in its nine games at an MLB stadium, including a 2-0 record in New York City and a 4-1 mark in bowl games
- Five of the Huskers nine games at an MLB stadium have been bowl games: the 1962 Gotham Bowl at Yankee Stadium; the 1976 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl in Houston; the 1996 and 1998 Orange Bowls in Miami; and the 1998 Holiday Bowl in San Diego
RHULE AND O'BRIEN SHARE NFL BACKGROUND
Husker head coach Matt Rhule and Boston College head coach Bill O'Brien are among a select group of current college head coaches who have also served as a head coach in the National Football League. Rhule was the head coach of the Carolina Panthers from 2020 to 2022, while O'Brien guided the Houston Texans from 2014 to 2020.
- Rhule and O'Brien are two of five former NFL head coaches who led FBS programs during the 2024 season. In addition to Rhule and O'Brien, Lane Kiffin (Ole Miss), Jim Mora Jr. (Connecticut) and Greg Schiano (Rutgers) also led their teams to bowl games.
- The matchup between Rhule and O'Brien is just the second FBS game this season between two former NFL head coaches. The first was Nebraska's 14-7 victory over Schiano's Rutgers team on Oct. 5 in Lincoln.
- The list of former NFL head coaches coaching in the FBS ranks will grow to six for the 2025 season with the addition of Bill Belichick taking over the head coaching position at North Carolina
ABOUT BOSTON COLLEGE
Boston College has fielded a football team since 1893 and has an all-time record of 701-529-37. The Eagles have claimed one national title and a conference championship. The Eagles have an overall bowl record of 15-13. Most recently, Boston College picked up a 23-14 win over SMU in the Fenway Bowl last season.
First Season: 1893
All-Time Record: 701-529-37
Bowl Record: 15-13
Conference Titles: 1
National Titles: 1 (1940)
Stadium: Alumni Stadium
Capacity: 44,500
Surface: AstroTurf
Location: Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
Enrollment: 15,025
Colors: Maroon and Gold
ABOUT 2024 BOSTON COLLEGE
Schedule
at Florida State (W 28-13)
Duquesne (W 56-0)
at Missouri (L 21-27)
Michigan State (W 23-19)
Western Kentucky (W 21-20)
at Virginia (L 14-24)
at Virginia Tech (L 21-42)
Louisville (L 27-31)
Syracuse (W 37-31)
at Southern Methodist (L 28-38)
North Carolina (W 41-21)
Pittsburgh (W 34-23)
Boston College posted a 7-5 record and a 4-4 mark in ACC play this season after picking up wins over North Carolina and Pitt to conclude the regular season. The Eagles enter the Pinstripe Bowl averaging 29.3 points and 367.2 yards per game, with 190.9 yards per game through the air and 176.3 yards per game on the ground. Grayson James has strated the last three games for the Eagles, completing 80-of-125 passes for 901 yards, six touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. Lewis Bond leads Boston College with 60 receptions for 590 yards and three scores followed by Reed Harris with 15 grabs for 461 yards and four touchdowns. Kyle Robichaux paces the rushing attack for the Eagles, carrying the ball 165 times for 725 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Treshaun Ward has tallied 77 rushes for 406 yards and a pair of scores.
Defensively, the Eagles are allowing 24.1 points and 360.5 yards per game this season. Donovan Ezeiruaku leads the BC defense with a team-high 80 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks and 15 quarterback hurries in 2024.
ABOUT BILL O'BRIEN
Bill O'Brien is in his first season at the helm of Boston College and has led the Eagles to a 7-5 record in his debut season.
A 32-year coaching veteran on staffs across college and professional ranks, O'Brien was elevated to his first head coaching post at Penn State in 2012. He guided the Nittany Lions to an overall record of 15-9 and a 10-6 Big Ten mark during the span of two seasons while directing the program through a postseason ban. He was named the head coach of the NFL's Houston Texans in 2014, leading the franchise to a 52-48 record, four AFC South Division titles and four playoff appearances -- including two Wild Card round wins -- between 2014 and 2020.
After his time in Houston, O'Brien returned to the college game as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at Alabama under Nick Saban in 2021 and 2022. He mentored Heisman Trophy winning QB Bryce Young and helped the Crimson Tide reach the College Football Playoff national championship game in 2021. In his second season, Alabama was fourth nationally in scoring offense (41.1 ppg), 11th in total offense (477.1 ypg) and 19th in passing offense (281.5 ypg) en route to an 11-2 record and a victory in the Sugar Bowl.
O'Brien vs. Nebraska
O'Brien will face Nebraska for the third time as a head coach. O'Brien is 0-2 against the Huskers after suffering losses to the Big Red while at Penn State in 2012 and 2013.
NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS (6-6, 3-6) | vs. | BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES (7-5, 4-4) |
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WHAT: Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl
WHEN: Saturday, December 28 | 11:00 AM (CT)
WHERE: Yankee Stadium | New York City, New York
TV: ABC (Mike Monaco, Kirk Morrison, Dawn Davenport)
RADIO: Huskers Radio Network (Greg Sharpe, Damon Benning, Jessica Coody)
NEBRASKA
Record: 6-6 (3-6 Big Ten)
Last Game: at Iowa (L 10-13)
Streak: Lost 1
Rank: NR
Head Coach: Matt Rhule (11-13, 2nd year at NU | 58-56, 9th year overall | 0-0 vs. Boston College)
BOSTON COLLEGE
Record: 7-5 (4-4 ACC)
Last Game: vs. Pittsburgh (W 34-23)
Streak: Won 2
Rank: NR
Head Coach: Bill O'Brien (7-5, 1st season at BC | 22-14, 3rd season overall | 0-2 vs. Nebraska)
THIS WEEK'S NUMBERS
1 - The matchup between Nebraska and Boston College in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl is the first between the two schools. Boston College is the 32nd different opponent Nebraska has played in a bowl game.
2 - The 2024 Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl is Nebraska's second bowl game in New York City. The Huskers' first-ever bowl victory was a 36-34 win over Miami in the 1962 Gotham Bowl played at the old Yankee Stadium.
54 - The Pinstripe Bowl will mark Nebraska's 54th all-time bowl game. The Huskers are 26-27 in bowl games in school history and are making their first bowl appearance since the 2016 season.
THE MATCHUP
Nebraska returns to the postseason on Saturday, December 28 when the Huskers take on Boston College in the 2024 Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. The game will be played at Yankee Stadium in New York City, with kickoff set for shortly after 11 a.m. CT (Noon ET). The Pinstripe Bowl will be telecast by ABC, and the game can also be heard on the Huskers Radio Network and the Husker App.
Nebraska is making its first postseason appearance since the 2016 season, after completing the regular season with a 6-6 record. Nebraska surged to a 5-1 record through the first half of the season and secured bowl eligibility with a November victory over Wisconsin. On the season, five of Nebraska's six victories have been by 18 points or more, while five of the Huskers' six losses have been by eight or fewer points. Nebraska's bowl trip marks the continuation of improvement in Head Coach Matt Rhule's second season at each of his three college coaching stops. Nebraska improved its win total by one game this season to return to a bowl game, and his Temple and Baylor teams also made big jumps in his second season.
Boston College posted a 7-5 record in the 2024 regular season, including a 4-4 mark in ACC games. The Eagles won three of their final four games, including victories over Syracuse, North Carolina and Pittsburgh. BC is strong at the line of scrimmage, rushing for 176.0 yards per game, while ranking 22nd nationally in rushing defense. The Eagles are a disciplined team, ranking 12th nationally in fewest penalties and 20th in turnover margin. Boston College is in its first season under head coach Bill O'Brien, who previously served as head coach at Penn State and with the NFL's Houston Texans.
HUSKERS RETURN TO POSTSEASON IN 54TH BOWL GAME
Nebraska is making its 54th all-time bowl appearance in the 2024 Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl and its first postseason appearance since the 2016 season. Nebraska's 54 bowl appearances tie for eighth nationally, and the Huskers have been victorious in a bowl game 26 times in school history.
- Nebraska played the first of its 54 bowl games in the 1941 Rose Bowl when No. 7 Nebraska lost to No. 2 Stanford, 21-13.
- Nebraska's first-ever bowl victory occurred at the old Yankee Stadium in the 1962 Gotham Bowl. Coach Bob Devaney's first Nebraska team posted a 36-34 victory over Miami in a game played in frigid temperatures before a crowd of just more than 6,000 fans.
- Nebraska had a streak of 35 consecutive seasons with a bowl game spanning from 1969 to 2003. The Huskers' streak began in the 1969 Sun Bowl and continued through the 2003 Alamo Bowl.
- Nebraska most recently played in the postseason following the 2016 season when Nebraska faced off against Tennessee in the Music City Bowl. The Music City Bowl appearance was the last in a streak of nine straight seasons with a bowl appearance. The Huskers' most recent bowl victory was a win over UCLA in the 2015 Foster Farms Bowl.
- Nebraska's Pinstripe Bowl opponent, Boston College, has been selected for a bowl game for the 31st time in school history. The Eagles have a 15-13 record in bowl games, with two cancellations.
| Season | Bowl | Opponent | Result |
| 1940 | Rose Bowl | Stanford | (L 13-21) |
| 1954 | Orange Bowl | Duke | (L 7-34) |
| 1962 | Gotham Bowl | Miami (FL) | (W 36-34) |
| 1963 | Orange Bowl | Auburn | (W 13-7) |
| 1964 | Cotton Bowl | Arkansas | (L 7-10) |
| 1965 | Orange Bowl | Alabama | (L 28-39) |
| 1966 | Sugar Bowl | Alabama | (L 7-34) |
| 1969 | Sun Bowl | Georgia | (W 45-6) |
| 1970 | Orange Bowl | LSU | (W 17-12) |
| 1971 | Orange Bowl | Alabama | (W 38-6) |
| 1972 | Orange Bowl | Notre Dame | (W 40-6) |
| 1973 | Cotton Bowl | Texas | (W 19-3) |
| 1974 | Sugar Bowl | Florida | (W 13-10) |
| 1975 | Fiesta Bowl | Arizona State | (L 14-17) |
| 1976 | Bluebonnet Bowl | Texas Tech | (W 27-24) |
| 1977 | Liberty Bowl | North Carolina | (W 21-17) |
| 1978 | Orange Bowl | Oklahoma | (L 24-31) |
| 1979 | Cotton Bowl | Houston | (L 14-17) |
| 1980 | Sun Bowl | Mississippi State | (W 31-17) |
| 1981 | Orange Bowl | Clemson | (L 15-22) |
| 1982 | Orange Bowl | LSU | (W 21-20) |
| 1983 | Orange Bowl | Miami (FL) | (L 30-31) |
| 1984 | Sugar Bowl | LSU | (W 28-10) |
| 1985 | Fiesta Bowl | Michigan | (L 23-27) |
| 1986 | Sugar Bowl | LSU | (W 30-15) |
| 1987 | Fiesta Bowl | Florida State | (L 28-31) |
| 1988 | Orange Bowl | Miami (FL) | (L 3-23) |
| 1989 | Fiesta Bowl | Florida State | (L 17-41) |
| 1990 | Citrus Bowl | Georgia Tech | (L 21-45) |
| 1991 | Orange Bowl | Miami (FL) | (L 0-22) |
| 1992 | Orange Bowl | Florida State | (L 14-27) |
| 1993 | Orange Bowl | Florida State | (L 16-18) |
| 1994 | Orange Bowl | Miami (FL) | (W 24-17) |
| 1995 | Fiesta Bowl | Florida | (W 62-24) |
| 1996 | Orange Bowl | Virginia Tech | (W 41-21) |
| 1997 | Orange Bowl | Tennessee | (W 42-17) |
| 1998 | Holiday Bowl | Arizona | (L 20-23) |
| 1999 | Fiesta Bowl | Tennessee | (W 31-21) |
| 2000 | Alamo Bowl | Northwestern | (W 66-17) |
| 2001 | Rose Bowl | Miami (FL) | (L 14-37) |
| 2002 | Independence Bowl | Mississippi | (L 23-27) |
| 2003 | Alamo Bowl | Michigan State | (W 17-3) |
| 2005 | Alamo Bowl | Michigan | (W 32-28) |
| 2006 | Cotton Bowl | Auburn | (L 14-17) |
| 2008 | Gator Bowl | Clemson | (W 26-21) |
| 2009 | Holiday Bowl | Arizona | (W 33-0) |
| 2010 | Holiday Bowl | Washington | (L 7-19) |
| 2011 | Citrus Bowl | South Carolina | (L 13-30) |
| 2012 | Citrus Bowl | Georgia | (L 31-45) |
| 2013 | Gator Bowl | Georgia | (W 24-19) |
| 2014 | Holiday Bowl | USC | (L 42-45) |
| 2015 | Foster Farms Bowl | UCLA | (W 37-29) |
| 2016 | Music City Bowl | Tennessee | (L 24-38) |
HUSKERS LOOK TO EVEN BOWL RECORD
Nebraska will be looking to pick up a win against Boston College to even its all-time bowl record at 27-27.
- Coach Matt Rhule is the 10th Husker head coach to guide the Huskers to a bowl game.
- By coach in bowl games, Nebraska was 0-1 under Biff Jones; 0-1 under Bill Glassford; 6-3 under Bob Devaney; 12-13 under Tom Osborne; 2-3 under Frank Solich; 1-1 under Bill Callahan; 4-3 under Bo Pelini; 0-1 under Barney Cotton and 1-1 under Mike Riley.
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's meeting will mark the first-ever meeting in football between Nebraska and Boston College.
ACC SCHOOLS ARE FAMILIAR NEBRASKA BOWL OPPONENTS
The matchup with Boston College will mark Nebraska's first game against a current member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since a 2015 overtime loss at Miami (FL). However, Nebraska has a long history of facing current ACC schools in bowl games.
- The Pinstripe Bowl will be Nebraska's 18th bowl game against a current member of the ACC, and the first matchup with the conference in the postseason since a victory over Clemson in the Gator Bowl to conclude the 2008 season
- Against current ACC schools in bowl games, Nebraska is 0-1 against Stanford; 0-1 vs. Duke; 2-4 vs. Miami; 1-0 vs. North Carolina; 1-1 vs. Clemson; 0-4 vs. Florida State; 0-1 vs. Georgia Tech and 1-0 vs. Virginia Tech.
BIG RED IN THE BIG APPLE
Nebraska has played two games in New York City in its history, including one game at old Yankee Stadium. The Huskers are 2-0 in the Big Apple, including a 1-0 record in bowl games. In the 1962 Gotham Bowl at Yankee Stadium, Nebraska notched its first-ever bowl victory in Bob Devaney's first season, a win that propelled the Huskers to five national championships and 21 conference titles over the next 35 years.
Nebraska 14, Rutgers 0 (Nov. 2, 1920 at the Polo Grounds)
In Nebraska's first-ever game east of Michigan, the Cornhuskers shut out Rutgers at the Polo Grounds. The game was played on Election Day when Warren G. Harding was elected president of the United States by the largest popular vote percentage margin in history. The Huskers traveled by train to the game and had a travel roster of 25 players.
Nebraska 36, Miami (FL) 34 (Gotham Bowl - Dec. 15, 1962 at Yankee Stadium)
In Bob Devaney's first season, Nebraska won its first-ever bowl game with a 36-34 victory over Miami inside old Yankee Stadium. It was the second --and final-- Gotham Bowl ever played and the only one played in Yankee Stadium. Nebraska was not selected as Miami's opponent until December 4, just 11 days before the game. Each team scored at least one touchdown in all four quarters in a back-and-forth contest that saw Nebraska overcome three deficits. Willie Ross had a 92-yard kickoff return in the game, which is the longest bowl game kick return in school history.
NEBRASKA NO STRANGER TO MLB STADIUMS
Although many locations have changed with regards to Major League Baseball teams and stadiums throughout the 135-year history of Nebraska football, available research suggests the Huskers have played in seven stadiums that were home to an MLB team. Nebraska has played a total of nine games in MLB stadiums with the most recent occurrence taking place at the 1998 Holiday Bowl in San Diego.
- Nebraska boasts an 8-1 record in its nine games at an MLB stadium, including a 2-0 record in New York City and a 4-1 mark in bowl games
- Five of the Huskers nine games at an MLB stadium have been bowl games: the 1962 Gotham Bowl at Yankee Stadium; the 1976 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl in Houston; the 1996 and 1998 Orange Bowls in Miami; and the 1998 Holiday Bowl in San Diego
RHULE AND O'BRIEN SHARE NFL BACKGROUND
Husker head coach Matt Rhule and Boston College head coach Bill O'Brien are among a select group of current college head coaches who have also served as a head coach in the National Football League. Rhule was the head coach of the Carolina Panthers from 2020 to 2022, while O'Brien guided the Houston Texans from 2014 to 2020.
- Rhule and O'Brien are two of five former NFL head coaches who led FBS programs during the 2024 season. In addition to Rhule and O'Brien, Lane Kiffin (Ole Miss), Jim Mora Jr. (Connecticut) and Greg Schiano (Rutgers) also led their teams to bowl games.
- The matchup between Rhule and O'Brien is just the second FBS game this season between two former NFL head coaches. The first was Nebraska's 14-7 victory over Schiano's Rutgers team on Oct. 5 in Lincoln.
- The list of former NFL head coaches coaching in the FBS ranks will grow to six for the 2025 season with the addition of Bill Belichick taking over the head coaching position at North Carolina
ABOUT BOSTON COLLEGE
Boston College has fielded a football team since 1893 and has an all-time record of 701-529-37. The Eagles have claimed one national title and a conference championship. The Eagles have an overall bowl record of 15-13. Most recently, Boston College picked up a 23-14 win over SMU in the Fenway Bowl last season.
First Season: 1893
All-Time Record: 701-529-37
Bowl Record: 15-13
Conference Titles: 1
National Titles: 1 (1940)
Stadium: Alumni Stadium
Capacity: 44,500
Surface: AstroTurf
Location: Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
Enrollment: 15,025
Colors: Maroon and Gold
ABOUT 2024 BOSTON COLLEGE
Schedule
at Florida State (W 28-13)
Duquesne (W 56-0)
at Missouri (L 21-27)
Michigan State (W 23-19)
Western Kentucky (W 21-20)
at Virginia (L 14-24)
at Virginia Tech (L 21-42)
Louisville (L 27-31)
Syracuse (W 37-31)
at Southern Methodist (L 28-38)
North Carolina (W 41-21)
Pittsburgh (W 34-23)
Boston College posted a 7-5 record and a 4-4 mark in ACC play this season after picking up wins over North Carolina and Pitt to conclude the regular season. The Eagles enter the Pinstripe Bowl averaging 29.3 points and 367.2 yards per game, with 190.9 yards per game through the air and 176.3 yards per game on the ground. Grayson James has strated the last three games for the Eagles, completing 80-of-125 passes for 901 yards, six touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. Lewis Bond leads Boston College with 60 receptions for 590 yards and three scores followed by Reed Harris with 15 grabs for 461 yards and four touchdowns. Kyle Robichaux paces the rushing attack for the Eagles, carrying the ball 165 times for 725 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Treshaun Ward has tallied 77 rushes for 406 yards and a pair of scores.
Defensively, the Eagles are allowing 24.1 points and 360.5 yards per game this season. Donovan Ezeiruaku leads the BC defense with a team-high 80 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks and 15 quarterback hurries in 2024.
ABOUT BILL O'BRIEN
Bill O'Brien is in his first season at the helm of Boston College and has led the Eagles to a 7-5 record in his debut season.
A 32-year coaching veteran on staffs across college and professional ranks, O'Brien was elevated to his first head coaching post at Penn State in 2012. He guided the Nittany Lions to an overall record of 15-9 and a 10-6 Big Ten mark during the span of two seasons while directing the program through a postseason ban. He was named the head coach of the NFL's Houston Texans in 2014, leading the franchise to a 52-48 record, four AFC South Division titles and four playoff appearances -- including two Wild Card round wins -- between 2014 and 2020.
After his time in Houston, O'Brien returned to the college game as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at Alabama under Nick Saban in 2021 and 2022. He mentored Heisman Trophy winning QB Bryce Young and helped the Crimson Tide reach the College Football Playoff national championship game in 2021. In his second season, Alabama was fourth nationally in scoring offense (41.1 ppg), 11th in total offense (477.1 ypg) and 19th in passing offense (281.5 ypg) en route to an 11-2 record and a victory in the Sugar Bowl.
O'Brien vs. Nebraska
O'Brien will face Nebraska for the third time as a head coach. O'Brien is 0-2 against the Huskers after suffering losses to the Big Red while at Penn State in 2012 and 2013.
