2014 Pinstripe Bowl

The 2014 Pinstripe Bowl was an American college football bowl game that was played on December 27, 2014 at Yankee Stadium in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The fifth annual Pinstripe Bowl, it was one of the 2014–15 bowl games that concluded the 2014 FBS football season. The game featured the Boston College Eagles, representing the Atlantic Coast Conference, and the Penn State Nittany Lions, representing the Big Ten Conference and playing their first bowl game since 2011 as a result of sanctions imposed in the wake of the Penn State child sex abuse scandal. The game was sponsored by the New Era Cap Company and was officially known as the New Era Pinstripe Bowl.

Pre-game buildup focused on the teams' respective exceptional defenses, especially the matchup between Boston College's ostensibly strong rushing attack and Penn State's top-ranked rushing defense; the game was expected to be won "in the trenches". Penn State's "anemic" offense sought to finally reach its potential with a strong performance from sophomore quarterback Christian Hackenberg. The other recurring note in pre-game coverage was the juxtaposition between the squads' special teams, specifically kicking. Boston College struggled all year long in that facet of the game, employing a trio of kickers, none of whom was particularly strong or accurate, whereas Penn State's kicking game was anchored by senior Sam Ficken, one of the best kickers in the Big Ten Conference.

Penn State scored first when Hackenberg connected with Chris Godwin for a 70-yard touchdown, but after an ill-fated onside kick attempt, Boston College capitalized on their excellent field position and tied the game back at seven. No scoring occurred in the second quarter, as both defenses entrenched themselves, forcing teams to trade punts. In the third quarter, Boston College scored two touchdowns to take a 14-point lead before Penn State struck back as time expired in that quarter, cutting the Eagles' lead to seven entering the fourth quarter. Penn State tied the game in the middle of the fourth when Hackenberg threw his third touchdown pass of the day, and each team added one more field goal, making the game tied at 24 at the conclusion of regulation. In overtime, Boston College struck first with a quick touchdown pass, but kicker Mike Knoll missed the extra point, so when Penn State responded with a touchdown of their own and Ficken made the extra point, the Lions won by one point, 31–30.