Iowa beats Boston College in the Pinstripe Bowl: 3 takeaways
The Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the Boston College Eagles 27-20 in the Pinstripe Bowl. Here are three takeaways from the win.
We didn’t have another chance to see potential first-round NFL Draft pick Harold Landry take the field for Boston College, and All-American Josey Jewell was quieter than we’ve come to expect from the Big Ten’s leading tackler, but Josh Jackson came up with the big play to seal a 27-20 victory for Iowa over Boston College in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium.
Jackson, whose pick was his FBS-best eighth of the season, will have a decision to make after the game as to whether or not he will follow Landry and Jewell to the NFL, but the most important thing was his interception helped Iowa win its first bowl game since 2010.
Minutes before Jackson’s big play, the Hawkeyes took advantage of the good field position – a theme of the night – when Anthony Nelson sacked Boston College quarterback Darius Wade on 3rd-and-8 from the 50-yard line, causing him to fumble. Parker Hesse recovered for the Hawkeyes, and running back Adrum Wadley and quarterback Nathan Stanley led the Iowa offense down the field. Fullback Drake Kulick plunged into the end zone from one yard out to give Iowa a 27-20 lead with 3:09 left in the fourth quarter.
How did the Hawkeyes put themselves in position to win? Who stood out for the Eagles? And what does the Iowa victory mean for the future? We offer three takeaways.
Iowa defeats Boston College in the Pinstripe Bowl: 3 takeaways
1. Iowa was fortunate to be down only seven at the half
Boston College received the opening kick, but the Eagles set up the Iowa offense with the first scoring opportunity of the game. Though the Hawkeyes couldn’t punch the ball into the end zone, Miguel Recinos’ 24-yard field goal was an unexpected bonus so quickly after the opening kickoff.
On the ensuing drive, BC drove to the Iowa 40-yard line but made the ultra-conservative decision to punt on 4th-and-4, pinning the Hawkeyes back at their own eight-yard line. Two BC touchdown drives sandwiched Iowa’s first trip to the end zone, which came one a quick four-play, 16-yard drive following a 72-yard kick return by Wadley.
Would Iowa even be in the game at halftime if not for the pick and kick return? It’s hard to say. But the Hawkeyes got even luckier later in the half when BC settled for a 30-yard field goal after an 84-yard drive then missed a 36-yard kick with 0:22 left in the second quarter.
Had Iowa not been so fortunate, the Eagles could have run away with the victory, but instead, the Hawkeyes had the football with a chance to win the game in the fourth quarter.
2. Boston College RB A.J. Dillon has Heisman potential
Wadley, a New Jersey native, was the MVP of the game for the Hawkeyes, finishing with 88 rushing yards and one touchdown on 22 carries, two catches for 24 yards, and 171 kick return yards, including the 72-yarder that set up the first Iowa touchdown. However, Wadley was easily the second-best running back on the field Wednesday.
Freshman running back A.J. Dillon earned ACC Rookie of the Year honors and ranked second in the conference with 1,432 rushing yards during the regular season. Dillon, a 6-foot, 240-pound bruiser, averaged 119.33 yards on 22.33 carries per game and scored 13 touchdowns, helping the Eagles shed their reputation as a boring offensive program.
Dillon continued his breakout freshman campaign with 157 rushing yards and a TD on 32 carries Wednesday, including a 66-yarder that was the longest play from scrimmage in the contest. The icy playing surface at Yankee Stadium helped slow Dillon, who was caught from behind at the Iowa 21-yard line, and the Eagles settled for a field goal on the drive. Nevertheless, Dillon offered a glimpse of the burst that made him one of the best running backs in the ACC this season, and a potential 2018 and 2019 Heisman Trophy candidate.
3. The outcome doesn’t mean much for 2018
Earlier this month, we listed Boston College as one of 10 teams that would take a big step forward into 2018 after a big bowl win. But the fact of the matter is bowl season in general – and this game in particular – has little bearing on next year.
Most obviously, roster turnover is great in college football as roughly one-quarter of the players change each year. For instance, both teams must replace star defenders bound for the NFL. Coaching turnover and schedule changes also have a major impact, as do the eight months of workouts, spring practice and summer camp leading up to next season.
But one thing that will matter very little, other than the simple good or sour feeling that comes with a win or loss in the final game of the season, is the Pinstripe Bowl.
First of all, playing in a half-empty Yankee Stadium on a freezing Wednesday night in December is a much different atmosphere than a fall Saturday in the Big Ten or ACC. Secondly, the frozen ground caused players to slip and slide all over the field as they missed blocks and tackles. Ball carriers were forced to either stop or tiptoe through holes and were often unable to make cuts upfield or run away from defenders at top speed as they would in a normal situation. The football was also harder to catch, kick and hold onto than usual.
Next: 10 teams that will take the next step in 2018
Iowa should be excited by the win, and the Pinstripe Bowl trophy will look good on display in the football facility on campus. But come April or August, when we look back and see the Hawkeyes beat Boston College in the Bronx to finish 8-5 instead of 7-6, let’s remember the exhibition-like circumstances in which the teams played, and let’s also not rely too heavily on the outcome of that game as a harbinger of things to come in 2018.