After Louisville head coach Scott Satterfield took the same job with Cincinnati, the Cardinals and Bearcats had to prepare to play each other in what became a very strange matchup. With the Satterfield connection, the game had more storylines entering the day than previously thought.
In the end, it was Louisville that came out on top in the first ever Wasabi Fenway Bowl. Behind interim head coach Deion Branch, a former wide receiver who made a name for himself in New England, Louisville dominated Cincinnati to come away with a 24–7 victory.