The Southern Methodist Mustangs can anticipate a heat and chilly reception once they encounter the Eagles of Boston College within the second annual Wasabi Fenway Bowl at Fenway Park on Dec. 28.
The ACC will go all in for one in every of its three latest members that may compete at an historic venue inside an unlimited and profitable media market. SMU (11-2, 8-0) closed it its run within the American Athletic Conference by profitable the league title and can be a part of California and Stanford within the ACC subsequent season.
“I am really excited about SMU, they are a top 25 team and they have great players and they are well coached,” mentioned BC coach Jeff Hafley, who’s out of city on a recruiting journey.
“They are going to be an ACC opponent next year and I’m excited about it. I think it will be a good matchup and I’m sure our players are excited, too. It is a really good team that a lot of people thought was going to go to a New Year’s six bowl game.”
The organizers at Fenway have a grand reception deliberate for the Mustangs on the park, the place the gridiron stretches from the precise area bullpens to the customer’s dugout.
“We are excited about this matchup and the chance for Boston College and SMU athletes, coaches, families, and fans to discover Fenway Park beyond the baseball season,” mentioned Brett Miller, the chief director of the Wasabi Fenway Bowl.
The one factor the boys from Dallas may not discover accommodating is winter climate in New England, which may be most unpredictable within the days after Christmas. The olde ballyard on Lansdowne Street is healthier suited to internet hosting winter occasions just like the NHL’s Winter Classic or Frozen Fenway, an unofficial out of doors occasion for space faculties.
“I haven’t heard anything yet about new uniforms for the bowl,” mentioned Hafley. “It might be really cold at 11 a.m. and we will have to figure out the cleats, but I’m sure the field will be in good condition. They have some of the best ground crews in all sports so hopefully that will be in great shape.”
Fenway Park is the Northern most outpost on the FBS bowl calendar, properly up the dial from Ford Field in Detroit and Yankee Stadium within the Bronx. BC has performed in bowl video games at each Ford Field and Yankee Stadium (twice) within the final 10 years.
Last season’s inaugural Wasabi Bowl between Louisville and Cincinnati was performed on an unseasonably balmy day underneath partial sunshine, so it’s conceivable the Mustangs may catch a break from the weather. In any occasion, SMU coach Rhett Lashlee welcomes the chance.
“We’re excited to be playing in the Fenway Bowl,” mentioned Lashlee. “We hope to wrap up the season with a twelfth win, which might solely be the second time that has occurred in class historical past.
“Our goal was winning a conference championship and we did that. Our players deserve to be celebrated and this is a great opportunity to do just that.”
The main good thing about securing a bowl berth, exterior of the 4 groups within the FBS playoffs which can compete for the nationwide championship, is the 15 extra days of follow awarded by the NCAA. BC may have loads of time to check up on the Mustangs and Hafley plans to make use of a few of the follow classes as a segway to spring soccer.
“Up until that first week before the bowl and get to the bowl site and all that stuff, we are going to go fundamentals and it is going to be ones versus ones and twos versus twos,” mentioned Hafley.
“There is going to be a lot of time at the end to scrimmage the younger players who have not gotten many reps. Once we get closer to the game, we turn our attention towards SMU.”
While this can be a primary for SMU, BC has an in depth historical past of taking part in soccer video games at Fenway Park. The Eagles have performed 76 video games at Fenway and compiled a document of 55-16-5.
BC beat Norwich 28-6 in its Fenway debut on Oct. 31, 2014. BC’s final two video games at Fenway have been in opposition to Notre Dame and UConn and in each cases, the Eagles have been the visiting group. The one disadvantage to the venue is that each groups share the identical sideline on the Green Monster half of the sphere.
“We are excited to go to a bowl game and represent Boston and do it in Boston,” mentioned Hafley. “We are going to construct across the week prior and do some enjoyable issues and do some team-bonding actions.
“The Fenway Bowl is a newer bowl and I’m sure they are going and incredible job in a great city. I am sure there are a lot of new things for us to see and do and it will be great for the families and the players.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com