New Era Pinstripe Bowl

Bowl History: The New Era Pinstripe Bowl is brand new … the NCAA certified the Bowl September 30, 2010! The first game was played on December, 30, 2010 … Syracuse beat Kansas State, 36-34 and last years game featured Duke against Indiana, a game won by the Devils (Duke), 44-41 in OT! The teams play for the George M. Steinbrenner Trophy! The Conference tie-ins are the AAC & the Big 12 & the New Era Pinstripe Bowl Payout is $2,000,000.00

Teams: Pitt 8-4 (ACC) Northwestern 6-6 (B-10)

Bowl Location: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York

Day, Date & Time: Wednesday, December 28, 2016, 1:00 p.m. CST

Network: ESPN

Best Win(s): Pitt beat Clemson (12-1) 43-42 & PSU (11-2), 42-39, Northwestern beat Iowa (8-4) , 38-31

Worst Losses: Pitt lost to Miami (8-4) 51-28; Northwestern lost to Illinois State (a FCS team out of the MVFC), 9-6

Common Opponents: Duke:  Pitt beat Duke 56-14 while Northwestern won 24-13

Vegas Hotsheets Favorite: Pitt -3.5

Offensive Team Data: Pitt ; Total Yards,  448 YPG; Passing Yards,  218 YPG;  Rushing Yards,  230 YPG; Scoring Average,  42 PPG, Turnovers,  1.17 TPG; Percent of 3rd Down Conversions, 45.3%; Percentage of all scores in Red Zone, 92% & Percentage of TD’s in Red Zone, 83%

Offensive Team Data: Northwestern ; Total Yards,  393 YPG; Passing Yards, 248 YPG;  Rushing Yards, 145 YPG; Scoring Average  26 PPG, Turnovers,  1.08 TPG; Percent of 3rd Down Conversions, 38.5%; Percentage of all scores in Red Zone, 74% & Percentage of TD’s in Red Zone, 58%

Defensive Team Data: Pitt ; Total Yards,  457 YPG; Passing Yards,  343 YPG;  Rushing Yards,  113 YPG; Scoring Average,  36 PPG, Turnovers,  1.42 TPG; Percent of 3rd Down Conversions, 39.9%; Percentage of all scores in Red Zone, 93% & Percentage of TD’s in Red Zone, 79%

Defensive Team Data: Northwestern ; Total Yards,  402 YPG; Passing Yards,  265 YPG;  Rushing Yards,  137 YPG; Scoring Average,  22 PPG, Turnovers,  1.75 TPG; Percent of 3rd Down Conversions, 36.1%; Percentage of all scores in Red Zone, 71% & Percentage of TD’s in Red Zone, 47%

Sully’s CFP Game Simulator is a statistical analysis / predictor of how these teams will preform, based solely on their numbers, when they face off on the gridiron! Keep in mind, these stats were established against different teams and conferences and these differences must be taken into account to get a complete picture when attempting to predetermine a winner. If you are interested in how the Simulator works … read this part … if not … skip it! The process used is … we take Arizona’s total yards on offense, add it to what Nevada gives up on defense, …  get a total and then divide that number by 2 … to get the mean. We then invert the process by taking Nevada’s total offense, add it to what Arizona gives up on defense, get a total and divide that number by 2  to get the second mean… the greater number (with the exception of Turnovers) is then determined to have the advantage ( please note …. statistical advantage). We repeat this process in each of the eight statistical categories assessed!  That said… here are the results of the Head to Head Analysis:

Total Yards Advantage: TIE Northwestern 425, Pitt 425

Passing Yards Advantage: Northwestern 295.5 to 241.5

Rushing Yard Advantage: Pitt 183.5 to 129

Scoring Advantage: Pitt 32 to 31

Turnovers Advantage: Northwestern 1.25 to 1.46

3rd Down Conversions Advantage: Pitt 40.7 to 39.2

Red Zone All Scores Advantage: Northwestern 83.5 to 81.5

Red Zone TD’s Only Advantage: Northwestern 68.5 to 65

The Game Simulator Says: Northwestern wins the statistical battle 5-4 and yet, GS has Pitt winning the game bt a point. 32-31. The Simulator thinks you take the Cats and the 3.5 points!

Individuals to Watch: Pitt’s QB, Nate Peterman, 26/6 ratio, Northwestern’s RB Justin Jackson 12 td’s 1300 rushing yards

Sully Says: Pitt wins outright and covers the 3.5