GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) – Clemson football is set to spend the holidays in the Big Apple after being selected to play Penn State in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium.
The Pinstripe Bowl kicked off preparations with a press conference on Tuesday morning, featuring the athletics directors and head coaches from both programs. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, whose team closed the regular season on a four-game winning streak and a Palmetto Bowl victory, is excited for the opportunity to take momentum into the new year.
“One of our goals is to win the closer, so this is the closer, and it just so happens we’re playing in Yankee Stadium to do it,” Swinney said Tuesday. “I think any time you finish the season with a win, it’s a great thing. And the same for Penn State. So, huge game, huge opportunity and I know our team will be excited about it.”
Swinney is no stranger to New York City, reminiscing on his first trip to Yankee Stadium to watch the New York Yankees years ago with his father-in-law.
“I had never seen anything like it, I was completely overwhelmed,” Swinney said of the stadium.
He’s spent quite a bit of time in the big city since between the NFL Draft and other events, saying he’s had plenty of good memories there. In a few weeks, the lifelong baseball fan will get to coach his team in the current home of one of the oldest franchises in baseball.
Swinney also has the opportunity to reach eight wins in a season at Clemson for the 15th consecutive season. Clemson’s 7-5 record marks its best finish in school history after starting the season with one win or less in its first four games. The Tigers began the year 1-3.
The Pinstripe Bowl is Clemson’s 21st consecutive bowl game, the longest stretch in school history and currently in the ACC. Clemson has been bowl-eligible for 27 straight seasons.
Kickoff is set for Saturday, Dec. 27 at noon, and will air on ABC.
Feel more informed, prepared, and connected with FOX Carolina. For more free content like this, download our apps.
Copyright 2025 WHNS. All rights reserved.