Penn State vs. Boston College: Pinstripe Bowl Preview With TV Schedule

The Penn State Nittany Lions were graced with a pleasant surprise in the midst of a solid 2014 season as the NCAA announced the end of their bowl ban. Heading to a bowl for the first time since the Jerry Sandusky news broke, the Nittany Lions will have to face an up-and-c0ming 7-5 Boston College Eagles squad who nearly took down Florida State this season.

Boston College, for the second consecutive season, has been a run-first offense, ranking in the top 15 in the country in rushing yards per game. Most of the yards on the ground have come on the legs of starting quarterback Tyler Murphy who leads the team with 1,079 rushing yards and 10 scores. Jon Hilliman is second on the team with 712 yards and 12 touchdowns as four more players have accounted for more than 200 rushing yards. Murphy has also passed for 1,526 yards, 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions this year while Josh Bordner has been his favorite target, catching 26 passes for 342 yards and three scores — all team-highs.

Christian Hackenberg hasn’t had quite the season he had hoped, coming off a successful freshman campaign in which he threw for nearly 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns. In 2014, however, Hackenberg has accounted for just 2,606 yards, eight touchdowns and an elevated 15 interceptions — five more than last year — while getting sacked 42 times which is double the amount he was sacked in 2013. With his top target gone from a season ago, Hackenberg had to find a new favorite receiver and that has been DaeSean Hamilton who leads the team with 75 receptions for 848 yards and a score. Akeel Lynch and Bill Belton lead the mediocre 120th-ranked run game, combining for 1,121 yards and 10 touchdowns on 252 total carries.

Defensively, Boston College has been a force this season, ranking 18th in points allowed and 12th nationally in yards allowed per game. Penn State has been just as impressive, owning the eighth-best scoring defense and second-best total defense in the country.

When: 4:30 p.m. EST on Saturday, Dec. 27

Where: Yankee Stadium in New York, N.Y.

TV: ESPN

PREDICTION: Penn State 20, Boston College 17

Want to see Penn State take on Boston College in the Pinstripe Bowl? Check out ScoreBig for tickets.

Connor Muldowney is a columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Connormuldowney, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google. You can also reach him at [email protected].