A win in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl would be huge for a rebuilding Rutgers football program, a result that would be a catalyst for this offseason. As for Miami, a win in the Bronx would help ease the close of a disappointing season while giving some momentum for next year.
Miami (7-5, 3-5 ACC) isn’t necessarily desperate coming into the late December match-up against Rutgers, but a win would be huge for their program. Having lost three of their last four games to close out 2023, a program that started the season ranked has certainly not lived up to some lofty expectations.
The Hurricanes have lost four straight bowl appearances and haven’t won a bowl game since 2016.
“We haven’t won a bowl game in a minute. I don’t know when that was, but it’s been a minute. It’s important to just change that trajectory of us not winning bowl games,” Miami offensive lineman Jalen Rivers said on Monday during a Pinstripe Bowl press conference.
“This will be an important step in the right direction, and it’s a step in the right direction leading into next year as well so we can showcase what we have and what we put on film right now so we can have a better opportunity, a better confidence going into next year as well.”
Rutgers (6-6, 3-5 Big Ten) has not been outright bowl eligible since 2014, when they beat North Carolina in the Quick Lane Bowl (Detroit, Michigan).
The Hurricanes have a strong recruiting class and project to be very active in the transfer portal. A bowl win is an important potential statement for them as they look to put the pieces together for 2024.
“You kind of want to win every game you play, and we’ve got most of our guys playing in it,” Miami defensive coordinator Lance Guidry said.
.”Last year we didn’t go to a bowl, so this year we are going to a bowl, and it’s different. We get to go up to New York and play in Yankee Stadium, and that whole experience will be good.
“I think these guys still have a lot left to…
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