Rutgers to Face Notre Dame in the Pinstripe Bowl

 It's kind of funny that in the year Rutgers has its worst bowl eligible team ever, they get to face their first marquee opponent in a bowl game. After years of playing 6-6 or mid major programs in the post season, the Scarlet Knights will get to face off against the biggest name in the sport, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl on December 28. It will be Rutgers second trip in three seasons to the bowl game in the Bronx.

Coming off the ass whooping Alabama handed them in the national championship game a year ago, Notre Dame went 8-4 while playing a very difficult schedule this season. Since they have no conference tie in and did not qualify for a BCS bowl, the Irish had to settle for an at large bowl berth and they chose New York over San Diego as their destination.

Rutgers is 0-4 all time against Notre Dame, with their last meeting coming in 2002. That is obviously just a factoid and has little relevance now since a lot has changed since then, and the players playing in this game were in like fourth grade back then. The two schools did agree to a ten game series scheduled to begin in 2010, but it was called off all together before it began, since Notre Dame insisted that Rutgers "home games" be played in the Meadowlands after the agreement was reached. The arrogance of that program.....

This match up seems like a mismatch on paper, but the main importance of this bowl season for Rutgers is the additional fifteen practices they will receive in preparation for the game. The extra practice time allows the coaching staff to get a look at the inexperienced players on the team who might contribute next year, specifically at quarterback and on the offensive line. The extra teaching and player development is invaluable, especially since they are such a young team.

This game will be quite a challenge for Rutgers, but it is a good preview for what they will face next year, as Notre Dame plays a Big 10 style of football. Yankee Stadium will be packed with fans from both teams, and who knows, maybe Rutgers can steal this game and have some positive momentum going in to next year.