The University of Minnesota and Syracuse University today accepted invitations to play in the 2022 Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, December 29, with kickoff scheduled for 2:00 p.m. (ET). This year marks the 12th edition of the game and the eighth consecutive Pinstripe Bowl to feature competitors from the Big Ten and ACC.

A virtual (Zoom) press conference with the teams’ head coaches and athletic directors, along with Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl representatives, will be held on Tuesday, December 6, at 11:00 a.m. ET. Further information will be provided in a separate e-mail.

Minnesota will make its 23rd all-time bowl appearance (10-12) and fourth under Head Coach P.J. Fleck (3-0). The Golden Gophers will be making their first appearance in the Pinstripe Bowl, becoming the eighth different Big Ten team to play in the game (in eight games of the bowl’s partnership with the conference). It will also mark Minnesota’s first appearance at either the original or current Yankee Stadium.

Minnesota has won each of their last five bowl games since 2015 and will participate in their 18th bowl game in the last 24 seasons (since 1999). The Golden Gophers reached the AP Top 25 plateau this season (No. 21), their first AP ranking since the 2020 season (also No. 21). Minnesota (8-4, 5-4 Big Ten) won four of their final five regular season games, clinching bowl eligibility with their 20-13 win at Nebraska on November 5th.

The Golden Gophers run-heavy offense ranked second in the Big Ten in 2022 with 548 attempts, 2,621 rushing yards, 32 touchdowns and averaging 218.4 rushing yards per contest. Sixth-year senior running back Mohamed Ibrahim was among the top rushers in the country, earning All-Big Ten First Team honors. He ranked second in the FBS in yards per game (144.9), tying for second in rushing touchdowns (19), third in rushing attempts (304) and fourth in rushing yards (1,594). Redshirt senior tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford played a large role in Minnesota’s passing attack, recording a team-high 40 receptions for 481 yards and two touchdowns.

On the defensive side, Minnesota boasted one of the best units in the country, allowing just 13.3 points per game, the fourth-best mark among FBS schools. The Golden Gopher defense also ranked second nationally in touchdowns allowed (16), third in total points allowed (160) and fifth in total yards allowed per game (279.5) and total yards allowed (3,354). Senior cornerback Tyler Nubin earned All-Big Ten Second Team honors, collecting a team-high four interceptions (tied for third in Big Ten), while also tying for second on the team with 37 solo tackles and ranking third with 55.0 total tackles. Fifth-year senior linebacker Mariano Sori-Marin led the team with 78.0 total tackles and 38 solo tackles, while also tying for the team lead with 4.5 tackles for loss.

“I want to thank Randy Levine, Mark Holtzman and everyone associated with the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl for inviting Minnesota to New York City for this year’s game,” said Minnesota Director of Athletics Mark Coyle. “We are looking forward to the upcoming bowl week activities and to facing a talented and well-coached team in Syracuse. I am confident that it will be a memorable experience for our student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans.”

“We are excited to face Syracuse in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl,” said Minnesota Head Coach P.J. Fleck. “There is no place in the world like New York City, and I am looking forward to our team experiencing its vibrancy, culture and history. I am also excited for our team to compete against the Orange in Yankee Stadium, which is one of the most iconic and well-known sporting venues in the world. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Coach Babers and what he has done with his program, and I know our team is looking forward to competing again on Thursday, December 29.”

Syracuse, led by Head Coach Dino Babers, will make its 27^th all-time bowl game appearance (16-9-1) and third in the Pinstripe Bowl. Syracuse becomes the first program to participate in the Pinstripe Bowl three times and will be the seventh different ACC team to play in the contest in the eight years of the bowl’s partnership with the conference. The Pinstripe Bowl will mark the program’s first bowl game since the 2018 Camping World Bowl. Looking to continue a sustained run of success, the Orange have won each of their last four bowl games since the 2010 season, six of their last seven since the 1999 season and 13 of their last 16 since the 1989 season. Reaching as high as No. 14 in the AP Top 25 this season, their highest ranking since 2018 (No. 12), Syracuse (7-5, 4-4 ACC) clinched bowl eligibility after defeating then-No. 15 NC State, 24-9, on October 15.

The high-tempo Orange offense collected 4,399 total yards (1,714 rushing; 2,685 passing). Sophomore running back Sean Tucker had another exceptional season, posting his second-straight 1,000-yard campaign. A member of the All-ACC Second Team at running back and the Third Team as an all-purpose back, he rushed for 1,060 yards (third in ACC) and 11 touchdowns (tied for fourth in ACC), while also catching 36 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore tight end Oronde Gadsden II earned All-ACC First Team honors, setting single-season program records at the tight end position for receptions (54) and receiving yards (891, sixth in ACC), while also catching six touchdowns (tied for sixth in ACC).

Syracuse’s defense allowed just 22.7 points per game this season and 338.8 total yards per game (both fifth-lowest in the ACC). Junior linebacker and co-captain Mikel Jones, who finished second on the team with 84.0 total tackles and 41 solo tackles and third with 7.0 tackles for loss, landed on the All-ACC Third Team. Sophomore linebacker Marlowe Wax led the Orange with 89.0 total tackles, 52 solo tackles and 10.5 tackles for loss. 

“We are delighted to play in the 2022 Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl,” said Syracuse Director of Athletics John Wildhack. “We are honored to represent the ACC and are grateful to the Steinbrenner family, Randy Levine, Mark Holtzman and the entire Yankee organization. Playing in the media capital of the world and historic Yankee Stadium will be an experience our team and staff will cherish. We look forward to a great game versus the University of Minnesota.”

“We’re thrilled to be invited to play in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl,” said Syracuse Head Coach Dino Babers. “I’m excited for our players to travel to New York City and experience all the fantastic events that come with a bowl trip as a reward for what they accomplished this year. I’m also happy that our fans will have another opportunity to see us play in our home state after all their support this season.”

Syracuse has a rich history of collegiate matchups in the Bronx, as the Orange defeated Pittsburgh, 3-0, in the inaugural college football game at the original Yankee Stadium on October 20, 1923. In total, Syracuse participated in six games at the original Yankee Stadium, winning five of those contests. This year’s Pinstripe Bowl will mark Syracuse’s fourth game at the current Yankee Stadium. The Orange are the only two-time winners in Pinstripe Bowl history, defeating Kansas State, 36-34, in the inaugural edition in 2010 and topping West Virginia, 38-14, in 2012. Most recently, then-No. 12 Syracuse played then-No. 3 Notre Dame in a regular season matchup on November 17, 2018, falling to the Fighting Irish, 36-3.

“We couldn’t be more excited to host Minnesota and Syracuse student-athletes, staff and families at the 2022 Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl,” said Mark Holtzman, Executive Director of the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. “The holiday season in New York City will provide an unforgettable atmosphere for the entire week of bowl-related activities, and Yankee Stadium will provide a majestic stage for two fantastic teams. We look forward to adding to the legacy of ‘New York’s Bowl Game’ with a first-time visit from Minnesota and an in-State representative in Syracuse, who has already produced many magical moments at Yankee Stadium.”

“We are thrilled to have Minnesota and Syracuse compete in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl,” said Peter Ballantyne, CEO of Bad Boy Mowers. “Both teams play the game with toughness, determination and attitude, and it’s our honor to host the players and fans in New York City. These two teams will no doubt battle to the end, living up to the legacy of the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium.”

 This year’s game will be nationally televised by ESPN and broadcast by ESPN Radio.

Special events, promotions and community outreach will take place throughout Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl week to once again create an unforgettable experience for fans, families, students and staff. Scheduled visits to New York City institutions will include One World Observatory, the 9/11 Memorial, Radio City Music Hall and more.

The night before the game, on December 28, the bowl will be publicly recognized by an iconic New York City landmark as the Empire State Building will be lit in the school colors of Minnesota and Syracuse.

Tickets for the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl are currently on sale at www.pinstripebowl.com, the official website of the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. For up-to-the-moment information regarding the game, fans are also encouraged to follow the Bowl game’s official Twitter and Instagram accounts – @PinstripeBowl.