On Sunday, the New Era Pinstripe Bowl announced Virginia Tech and Maryland will square off in Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, Dec. 29.
It's the first time the Hokies have played in the Pinstripe Bowl (est. 2010) or the Terrapins in a bowl game. The former ACC rivals have met 31 times previously, a series Maryland leads by one game, 16-15. It's the first time the two programs have met since the Terps beat the Hokies 27-24 in overtime in Lane Stadium in 2013.
The Terps (6-6, 3-6 Big Ten) started the season hot with four straight wins but lost six of their last eight games. That run included two three-game losing streaks with a win over Indiana (Oct. 30) squished between. Maryland, led by Mike Locksley, cappeed off its season with a 40-16 win over Rutgers.
The Pinstripe Bowl is the 34th bowl game in program history for Virginia Tech, who had a 27-year bowl streak come to an end last season. It's the first time Tech has played a bowl game in New York, and the third time it's played a game in a baseball-only stadium. The 2002 San Francisco Bowl against Air Force (Pacific Bell Park) and the 2003 Insight Bowl vs. California (Bank One Ballpark, Phoenix, Ariz.) are the previous two instances.
Interim head coach J.C Price will coach the Hokies in the bowl game with the current staff. New head coach Brent Pry and his assistants will take over after the bowl.
Virginia Tech got off to a strong start this season, winning three of its first four games, before losing three of its next five. Two wins - vs. Duke, at Virginia - in the final three games to end the season got the Hokies bowl eligible, though. They also did it under the direction of Price, who was handed the keys after the school parted ways with former head coach Justin Fuente after the Duke win.
A trip to Yankee Stadium is fitting for Virginia Tech. The Hokies and Yankees have a special connection that dates back to 2008.
After the tragedy of April 16, 2007, the New York Yankees visited Blacksburg the following March for an exhibition game. The organization visited the memorial in front of Burruss Hall, wore maroon and orange ballcaps with the NYY logo, and donated $1M to the Virginia Tech Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund.
Pinstripe Bowl Details
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 29
Time: 2:15 p.m. ET
Location: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, N.Y.
TV: ESPN
Tickets: StubHub