By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Start spreading the news!

Sorry, I couldn’t resist saying it with the 7-5 Iowa football team now headed to the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium in New York City where it’ll face Boston College on Dec. 27.

It seems fitting that a season filled with incredible highs and humiliating lows would end in an unusual place, and Yankee Stadium certainly falls into that category.

The Music City Bowl in Nashville was the popular choice with the fans, but those hopes were dashed on Sunday when Big Ten champion Ohio State didn’t make the playoff.

Iowa now has to prepare for a bowl game that will be played in a baseball stadium and possibly in cold weather.

But remember what Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz likes to say in that there is no such thing as a bad bowl game.

The Pinstripe Bowl will test that theory this season.

It could be a tough sell for fans who wanted to spend a few days in Nashville, which in addition to having plenty to do from a tourist standpoint and a more convenient location is significantly cheaper than New York City.

Iowa fans are just two years removed from the Rose Bowl, and some of them might still be feeling the financial affects from that expensive road trip.

Combine that with the lack of prestige and the weather conditions associated with the Pinstripe Bowl and it’s easy to come up with reasons why not to attend.

But on the other hand, maybe a trip to the East Coast will help to end Iowa’s bowl misery, which currently stands at five consecutive losses, including four in blowout fashion. Iowa has been outscored 108-10 in the first half of the last five bowl games.

Former Iowa linebacker coach Jim Reid is also the defensive coordinator for Boston College, so there is at least one connection.

Iowa State lost to Rutgers 27-13 in the second Pinstriple Bowl ever played in 2011 and before an announced attendance 38,328.