The Booms is gonna get a “home game” for his alma mater just after Christmas.
Maryland and Virginia Tech have accepted invitations to play in the 2021 New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium, and both teams will make their first appearances at the Stadium on Wednesday, Dec. 29, with kickoff scheduled for 2:15 p.m.
The Terrapins are making their 28th bowl appearance and first under head coach Michael Locksley after going 6-6 overall and 3-6 in the Big 10. This is their first bowl game since 2016, and they are the seventh different Big Ten team to play in the Pinstripe Bowl in their conference’s seven years as participants.
While their QB isn’t named Esiason, they do have a familiar name under center: Taulia Tagovailoa, the younger brother of Miami Dolphins QB Tua, who set Maryland single-season records in completions (308) and passing yards (3,595).
Taulia, a redshirt sophomore, actually spent his freshman year at Alabama as a backup to his older brother before transferring to Maryland for 2020, and in just 16 games over two seasons in College Park, he is already eighth in career passing yards thanks to this season’s school record (Boomer is third) and fifth in passing touchdowns with 31 (Boomer is second with 42, although his passing and passing TD marks were school records when he left).
“We are thrilled to be playing in the Pinstripe Bowl at one of the most iconic stadiums in the world of sports, Yankee Stadium,” Maryland Director of Athletics Damon Evans said in the Yankees’ statement announcing the bowl matchup. “It is special to play a bowl game in the New York metro area, which has more than 40,000 Maryland alumni. This is the perfect setting for our program as we continue our ascent under Coach Locksley. He will have our team prepared and ready for competition against Virginia Tech, a familiar foe from our days in the ACC. December 29 is going to be a special day for all of Terp Nation.”
“We are excited to be selected to play in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl,” said Maryland Head Coach Michael Locksley. “Returning to postseason play is the next step in the upward trend of our program. I'm thrilled that our players, especially the seniors, will have the chance to play inside Yankee Stadium and experience all of the special events that come with a bowl trip. I’m also happy that our fans will have the chance to drive up to New York City and watch us take on Virginia Tech, a former ACC rival.”
Their opponents, Virginia Tech, are the sixth different ACC team to play in the Pinstripe Bowl in their conference’s seven-year affiliation with the bowl, and enter after going 6-6 to continue the longest bowl-eligibility streak in the nation (29 consecutive seasons, since 1993).
The Hokies will play the game under interim head coach J.C.
Price, who took over the head job after Justin Fuente was fired 10 games into the season. Virginia Tech did hire Penn State defensive coordinator Brent Pry as their new head coach last week, but Price will get the bowl game after leading the Hokies in their final two regular-season contests.
“I’m honored to lead our team to New York for the New Era Pinstripe Bowl,” said Price. “The Hokies have a proud bowl tradition, and we’re excited to showcase our football team in the Big Apple. We have a very resilient group of players who stuck together through a number of challenges this season. I know that they’d like nothing better than to conclude our season on a winning note against a Big Ten opponent like the University of Maryland.”
The Hokies have never played at Yankee Stadium, but the Yankees have a long relationship with the school. The Yankees made a $1 million donation to the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund after the April 2007 shooting on campus, and later invited the Virginia Tech Police and Rescue Squad to Yankee Stadium and had then-school president Charles Steger throw out a ceremonial first pitch. The Yankees also visited Blacksburg for an exhibition game against Virginia Tech the following March.
“It’s our privilege to represent the Atlantic Coast Conference as Virginia Tech makes its first-ever appearance in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl,” said Virginia Tech Director of Athletics Whit Babcock. “I know how important it was for Coach Price and our players to extend our season and we’re certainly glad that their efforts are being rewarded. The holiday season is always a special time to visit New York City and I’m looking forward to seeing Hokie Nation cheering on our team against the University of Maryland. Virginia Tech has long valued its relationship with the Yankees organization, and we’re pleased to finally have the Hokies participate in this bowl game at Yankee Stadium. The Virginia Tech community will always be grateful for the generosity and graciousness that the Yankees organization and the Steinbrenner family extended to us following the 2007 tragedy on our campus.”
Tickets for the game are currently on sale at www.pinstripebowl.com and www.ticketmaster.com.
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