NEW YORK — Long before fans started filing into the big ballpark in the Bronx, New York Yankees officials knew their stadium in December was going to look a lot like it does in October.
For the New Era Pinstripe Bowl between Penn State and Boston College on Saturday, there wasn’t a seat to be had.
The announced crowd of 49,012 was the largest in Pinstripe Bowl history, and in an age where attendance at bowl games has consistently dwindled, Yankees president Randy Levine credited the fan bases for making raising attendance at the bowl for the fifth straight year.
“This is the most successful New Era Pinstripe Bowl that has ever taken place,” Levine said. “That’s a tribute to the two sensational universities that are participating.”
Only one other football game played at the current Yankee Stadium drew more fans. That came in big-time college football’s return to the stadium, when Notre Dame beat Army on Nov. 20, 2010, in front of 54,251 fans. But Levine pointed out that the Yankees used to construct bleachers that were placed in the bullpens in right- and left-center field.
That practice, he said, stopped after that game.
To Penn State and Boston College officials, the sellout crowd was hardly surprising.
Penn State president Dr. Eric Barron pointed out that Penn State alone has 32,000 alumni living and working in New York City, and there are 160,000 within just a couple hours drive.
Boston College athletic director Brad Bates said the bowl experience “far passed and exceeded lofty expectations” for both players and fans of the Eagles. His counterpart at Penn State, Sandy Barbour, similarly praised the Yankees for hosting not just a quality bowl experience for the players, but the fans who travelled to New York, as well.
“This is a special time for college football,” Barbour said. “The Pinstripe Bowl, behind the power of the Yankees and New Era and New York City, has taken a really, really important place in the bowl system and all of college football.”
Tough finish
Miles Dieffenbach worked for months to overcome a knee injury that kept him off the field for nearly eight months.
The senior didn’t even get to finish his first — and last — bowl game before suffering what looked like another leg injury.
Penn State’s left guard was carted to the locker room from the sideline after injuring the leg after contact with running back Bill Belton on the last play of the first quarter.
He did not return.
“Emotionally, physically, strategically, that’s the one position we couldn’t afford to lose a guy,” Penn State coach James Franklin said. “Losing him, his leadership, was big.”
Captain’s corner
By virtue of being the home team Saturday, the Nittany Lions were assigned the Yankees’ home clubhouse.
By virtue of that, it was clear one player would get the privilege of being the first to dress for a game in front of Derek Jeter’s famed locker before a game at Yankee Stadium.
The honor went to a rather unlikely recipient: Penn State kicker Sam Ficken, the senior captain who rebounded from early tribulations to become one of the most accomplished kickers in Nittany Lions history. He added to that legacy by drilling a game-tying 45-yard field goal with 20 seconds left that sent the game into overtime, and then the game-winning extra point.
“He has probably been our best offensive weapon all year long,” Franklin said. “To go out here, with that field goal, there was no doubt. Same has been as consistent as any player in our program since the day (the coaching staff) arrived.”
So much for that
The Nittany Lions’ top-ranked rushing defense was so dominant all season, no player had a carry of more than 25 yards against it, and only Indiana and Ohio State rushed for more than 118 yards in a single game.
Then came Boston College’s Jon Hilliman.
By the time the first quarter ended, the Eagles freshman had the two longest carries of the season — a 44-yarder and a 49-yarder that resulted in Boston College’s first score. He also had 96 yards, which was more than seven of the Nittany Lions’ 12 opponents had during the regular season.
Hilliman finished with 147 yards on 27 carries, and quarterback Tyler Murphy also went over 100. The last time two teammates rushed for more than 100 yards against Penn State in the same game: Ameer Abdullah (116) and Taylor Martinez (104) at Nebraska in 2012.
Tough finish, Part II
The experience of playing back near his New Jersey home might have been one Penn State center and lifelong Yankees fan Angelo Mangiro will never forget.
The game itself might be one he’d like to forget, though.
The junior center was called for two critical penalties, and a few wayward snaps were mishandled by quarterback Christian Hackenberg, the second of which was fumbled in Boston College territory with Penn State driving to tie the game in the third quarter.