The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the cancellation of yet another bowl game: the Pinstriple Bowl.
The bowl announced its cancellation on Twitter, citing "an abundance of caution" amid rising coronavirus cases in the U.S.:
"The priority of the Yankees, New Era Pinstripe Bowl, Big Ten and ACC is the safety of players, coaches and staff, and this decision is consistent with that approach. We look forward to hosting the New Era Pinstripe Bowl with an enthusiastic crowd filling Yankee Stadium in 2021."
Statement from the New Era Pinstripe Bowl. pic.twitter.com/OyK8lqk5Iz
— NewEraPinstripeBowl (@PinstripeBowl) November 27, 2020
MORE: Bowl projections after Week 12
With that, the Pinstripe Bowl becomes the seventh bowl involving FBS teams canceled this season because of COVID-19 (another, the Celebration Bowl, features the MEAC and SWAC out of the FCS). The other FBS bowls include the Hawaii, Bahamas, Holiday, Quick Lane and Redbox bowls. Moreover, ESPN announced its inaugural Fenway Bowl would be postponed till 2021-22.
The Pinstripe Bowl — played out of Yankee Stadium every year since its inception in 2010 — has pitted the Big Ten against the ACC since 2014. Its cancellation marks one fewer bowl spot for each of those conferences. Prior to that, both conferences lost bowl tie-ins with the Redbox Bowl (Big Ten), Holiday Bowl (ACC) and Fenway Bowl (ACC).
As it stands, bowl season will consist of 36 games.
