NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 28: Pat Fitzgerald head coach of the Northwestern Wildcats waits to lead his team onto the field to take on the Pittsburgh Panthers in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on December 28, 2016 in the Bronx borough of New York City. Northwestern defeated Pittsburgh 31-24. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)With the recent surge in COVID-19 cases across the country, more and more college football games are being canceled. Unfortunately, one game is now being canceled before it can even be scheduled. On Friday, the New Era Pinstripe Bowl announced that their 2020 game at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx is canceled.
The Pinstripe Bowl cited the recent increase in coronavirus cases, travel restrictions and the cancellation of many college football games as reasons.
“Due to the recent increase in coronavirus cases, which has led to the imposition of various travel restrictions and the cancellation of many college football games, including those in the Big Ten and ACC conferences, we have made the decision out of an abundance of caution and in conjunction with both conference to cancel the 2020 New Era Pinstripe Bowl,” the Pinstripe Bowl said in a statement. “The priority of the Yankees, New Era Pinstripe Bowl, Big Ten and ACC is the safety of players, coaches and staff, and this decision is consistent with that approach. We look forward to hosting the New Era Pinstripe Bowl with an enthusiastic crowd filling Yankee Stadium in 2021.”
The Pinstripe Bowl was first played in 2010, giving New York City its first major college football bowl game since the 1960s. Over the years it has featured teams like Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Penn State and Iowa among others.
Statement from the New Era Pinstripe Bowl. pic.twitter.com/OyK8lqk5Iz
— NewEraPinstripeBowl (@PinstripeBowl) November 27, 2020
The Pinstripe Bowl has changed conference tie-ins a number of times in the decade since it began. The Big 12 and Big East were the original conference-tie ins, but have since been replaced by the ACC and Big Ten.
Last year we saw the Michigan State Spartans beat Wake Forest in the final game of Mark Dantonio’s career.
We’re likely to see a number of bowl games canceled in the weeks to come before bowl season.
Hopefully the games are back in full force in 2021.
