The Pinstripe Bowl is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) college football bowl game held annually since 2010 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York City. Through 2025 it is affiliated with the Atlantic Coast Conference and Big Ten Conference; it previously had ties with the Big 12 Conference and the Big East Conference.
The winner receives the George M. Steinbrenner Trophy; during the New Era sponsorship, the bowl's most valuable player received the David C. Koch MVP Trophy, named for the late New Era CEO. The Pinstripe Bowl is one of four outdoor cold-weather bowls, the others being the Military Bowl (Annapolis, Maryland), the Fenway Bowl (Boston, Massachusetts), and the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Boise, Idaho). It is one of three active bowls played in baseball stadiums, the others being the Rate Bowl (Chase Field) and the Fenway Bowl (Fenway Park).
History On September 30, 2009, a "Yankee Bowl" was announced at a Yankee Stadium press conference by then-representatives of the involved parties: Yankees' minority owner Hal Steinbrenner, Mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg, Big East Conference commissioner John Marinatto, and Big 12 Conference commissioner Dan Beebe. The most recent bowl in New York City proper had been the 1962 Gotham Bowl, which pitted Miami (FL) against Nebraska at the original Yankee Stadium. The newly announced bowl planned to pair the fourth-place team from the Big East Conference against the seventh-place team from the Big 12. In the event the Big 12 lacked an eligible team, independent Notre Dame could receive an invitation.
The decision to stage a bowl game in New York City with a Big East team followed a 2004 announcement by the New York City Sports Commission and Big East Conference to hold the "Big Apple Bowl" at the proposed West Side Stadium, but the plan to build the stadium on the West Side of Manhattan was defeated in 2005.
On March 9, 2010, the bowl's official name was announced to be the Pinstripe Bowl, with New Era Cap Company agreeing to sponsor the bowl for four years while ESPN agreed to broadcast the bowl for six years.First Pinstripe Bowl to be held Dec. 30. ESPN.com. March 9, 2010. Accessed on January 8, 2013.Bennett, Brian. (March 9, 2010). Put on your pinstripes. ESPN.com. Accessed on January 8, 2013. The inaugural game was played on December 30, 2010. The first three editions of the bowl were each won by a Big East team over a Big 12 team. In 2013, Notre Dame was invited in place of a Big 12 team; the Fighting Irish defeated Rutgers of the Big East's successor, the American Athletic Conference ("The American").
Starting in 2014, the bowl featured an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) team against a Big Ten team. This was the same year that New Jersey–based Rutgers, the closest FBS school in the New York City area, moved to the Big Ten, and one year after Syracuse University, based in central New York state, moved to the ACC. The ACC agreed to a six-year deal with the Pinstripe Bowl, and the Big Ten agreed to the alignment for eight years. The ACC adopted a tiered system so that the same conference position would not necessarily go to the same bowl each season.. Sports Illustrated.cnn.com. Accessed on January 8, 2013. The 2014 through 2019 editions of the bowl saw Big Ten teams compile a 5–1 record against ACC teams.
The 2020 edition of the bowl was cancelled, "out of an abundance of caution" due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.
On August 16, 2022, Bad Boy Mowers was announced as the new title sponsor of the game.
Game results Rankings are based on the AP Poll prior to the game being played. DateWinning teamLosing teamAttendanceNotes December 30, 2010 Syracuse 36 Kansas State 34 38,274 notes December 30, 2011 Rutgers 27 Iowa State 13 38,328 notes December 29, 2012 Syracuse 38 West Virginia 14 39,098 notes December 28, 2013 No. 25 Notre Dame 29 Rutgers 16 47,122 notes December 27, 2014 Penn State 31 Boston College 30 (OT) 49,012 notes December 26, 2015 Duke 44 Indiana 41 (OT) 37,218 notes December 28, 2016 Northwestern 31 No. 22 Pittsburgh 24 37,918 notes December 27, 2017 Iowa 27 Boston College 20 37,667 notes December 27, 2018 Wisconsin 35 Miami (FL) 3 37,821 notes December 27, 2019 Michigan State 27 Wake Forest 21 36,895 notes Game canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. December 29, 2021 Maryland 54 Virginia Tech 10 29,653 notesDecember 29, 2022 Minnesota 28 Syracuse 20 31,131 notesDecember 28, 2023 Rutgers 31 Miami (FL) 24 35,314 notesDecember 28, 2024 Nebraska 20 Boston College 15 30,062 notesDecember 27, 2025 Penn State 22 Clemson 10 41,101 notes In 2018, the NCAA vacated Notre Dame's 2013 bowl win (and other results from 2012 and 2013) due to academic violations.
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MVPs
The MVP of the bowl is presented with the Henry George “Hank” Steinbrenner II MVP Trophy.
YearMVPTeamPosition2010 Delone Carter Syracuse RB2011 Jawan Jamison Rutgers RB2012 Prince-Tyson Gulley Syracuse RB2013 Zack Martin Notre Dame OT2014 Christian Hackenberg Penn State QB2015 Thomas Sirk Duke QBShaun Wilson RB2016 Justin Jackson Northwestern RB2017 Akrum Wadley Iowa RB2018 Jonathan Taylor Wisconsin RB2019 Brian Lewerke Michigan State QB2021 Taulia Tagovailoa Maryland QB2022 Coleman Bryson Minnesota S2023 Kyle Monangai Rutgers RB2024 Rahmir Johnson Nebraska RB2025 Trebor Peña Penn State WR Source:
Most appearances Updated through the December 2025 edition (15 games, 30 total appearances).
Teams with multiple appearances RankTeamAppearancesRecord1 Syracuse 3 2–1 Rutgers 3 2–1 Boston College 3 0–34 Penn State 2 2–0 Miami (FL) 2 0–2
Teams with a single appearance Won (8): Duke, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Wisconsin
Lost (8): Clemson, Indiana, Iowa State, Kansas State, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, West Virginia
Vacated (1): Notre Dame
Appearances by conference Updated through the December 2025 edition (15 games, 30 total appearances).
ConferenceRecordAppearances by seasonGamesWLWin pct.WonLostVacated Big Ten 11 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019,2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 2015 ACC 11 2015 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019,2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 American 4 2010, 2011, 2012 2013 Big 12 3 2010, 2011, 2012 Independents 1 2013 Notre Dame's vacated victory in 2013 is excluded from win–loss totals.
Records reflect conference membership at the time each game was played. The American's record includes appearances of Big East teams—Syracuse in 2010 and 2012, and Rutgers in 2011—as the American retains the charter of the original Big East, following its 2013 realignment. Independent appearances: Notre Dame (2013)
Game records TeamRecord, Team vs. OpponentYearMost points scored (one team) 54, Maryland vs. Virginia Tech 2021Most points scored (losing team) 41, Indiana vs. Duke 2015Most points scored (both teams) 85, Duke vs. Indiana 2015Fewest points allowed 3, Wisconsin vs. Miami (FL) 2018Largest margin of victory 44, Maryland vs. Virginia Tech 2021Total yards 667, Indiana vs. Duke 2015Rushing yards 382, Duke vs. Indiana 2015Passing yards 389, Indiana vs. Duke 2015First downs 33, Indiana vs. Duke 2015Fewest yards allowed 169, Wisconsin vs. Miami (FL) 2018Fewest rushing yards allowed 43, Penn State vs. Clemson 2025Fewest passing yards allowed 48, Wisconsin vs. Miami (FL) 2018IndividualRecord, Player, Team vs. OpponentYearTouchdowns (all-purpose) 3, several players—most recently:Justin Jackson (Northwestern) 2016 Rushing yards 227, Devine Redding (Indiana) 2015Rushing touchdowns 3, shared by:Daniel Thomas (Kansas State)Justin Jackson (Northwestern) 20102016Passing yards 389, Nate Sudfeld (Indiana) 2015Passing touchdowns 4, Christian Hackenberg (Penn State) 2014Receiving yards 172, Marcus Sales (Syracuse) 2010Receiving touchdowns 3, Marcus Sales (Syracuse) 2010Tackles 15, shared by:A. J. Klein (Iowa State)Clyde Newton (Indiana)Matt Galambos (Pittsburgh) Sammy Brown (Clemson) 20112015 20162025Sacks 2, shared by:Terence Garvin (West Virginia)Dani Dennis-Sutton (Penn State) 20122025Interceptions 1, by several players Long PlaysRecord, Player, Team vs. OpponentYearTouchdown run 85 yds., Shaun Wilson (Duke) 2015Touchdown pass 86 yds., Brandon Coleman from Chas Dodd (Rutgers) 2011Kickoff return 98 yds., Shaun Wilson (Duke) 2015Punt return 92 yds., Tarheeb Still (Maryland) 2021Interception return 70 yds., Coleman Bryson (Minnesota) 2022 Fumble return 11 yds., Greg Rose (Maryland) 2021Punt 59 yds., Colton Spangler (Maryland) 2021Field goal 52 yds., Ross Martin (Duke) 2015
Media coverage The bowl has been televised by ESPN since its inception, except for 2015 and 2024 when it was carried by ABC.
References
External links Official site