An old-school football game is being played at Yankee Stadium today, as Iowa and Boston College take part in the Pinstripe Bowl at 5:15 p.m. ET.
Both teams finished at 7-5 in the regular season, but showed an ability to hang with college football's best. Iowa blew out No. 5 Ohio State, 55-24, on Nov. 4, while Boston College bested Louisville and the 2016 Heisman Trophy winner, Lamar Jackson, in October.
Coaches and players discussed the matchup on a conference call Friday.
"This is not a regular-season game, it's a game that both programs worked hard to get to," Boston College defensive coordinator Jim Reid said. "It's an extra game. It's a bowl game, and not only that, it's in the greatest city, second-greatest city in the United States. … Maybe the third-greatest behind Iowa City and Boston."
The biggest connection between these two teams comes in the form of Reid, who spent three seasons as Iowa's linebackers coach before taking his current position with the Eagles.
Both Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz and defensive coordinator Phil Parker fondly remembered their time with Reid, a veteran football mind in his fifth decade of coaching.
"As a young coach and a guy who just feels fortunate to be around older veteran guys, I'm very thankful for the three years that Jim was here and the chance to learn from a guy like that, who has so much experience," Ferentz said.
Iowa linebacker and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Josey Jewell recalled how Reid's old-school preparation included copious notes that effectively "killed two trees a day." The Pinstripe Bowl figures to be a fun, and unexpected, reunion.
"I'm going to be really honest with you. I never thought it would happen," Reid said. "What are the chances of that happening? In one way, I was happy because I would be able to see them. In another way, I just felt kind of sick we would have to compete against guys I have great admiration for."
When it comes to connections to their next game's venue, things are a little more one-sided. While experience with New York City isn't common for Iowa players, who usually come from around the Midwest, Boston College head coach Steve Addazio estimated that at least 25 of his players were from New York City during an earlier press conference.
Naturally, that leads to many connections to Yankee Stadium. However, some of those can be a little mixed.
"I was born in Cleveland, so my first team was the Cleveland Indians, which is funny because the Yankees knocked us out this year," Boston College wide receiver Charlie Callinan said. "My second team would definitely be the New York Yankees. That's a great and special place, Yankee Stadium. I grew up going to games, so it's real cool … to close out my college-football career there.