Fenway Park to host UConn and North Carolina in Fenway Bowl

Connecticut and North Carolina football will meet at Fenway Park at 11 a.m. on Dec. 28 to face off in the Fenway Bowl.

The game will be televised nationally on ESPN and ESPN+. Tickets are available on the Fenway Bowl’s website.

It’s the second straight year that a New England team has played at Fenway, after Boston College beat Southern Methodist, 23-14, in last year’s Fenway Bowl. Louisville beat Cincinnati, 24-7, in the inaugural Fenway Bowl in 2022.

“The local flavor of this year’s matchup will undoubtedly foster even more excitement for the game, and elevate its status as a premier sporting tradition in Boston,” said Michael Welts, chief marketing officer of Fenway Bowl sponsor Wasabi Technologies.

UConn coach Jim Mora guided the Huskies to an 8-4 record this season, the program’s first winning season since 2010, when it lost to Oklahoma in the Bowl Championship Series-aligned Fiesta Bowl. The Huskies orchestrated a five-win turnaround from last season and posted a 6-1 record at home.

“We’re excited to represent UConn at this year’s Wasabi Fenway Bowl, and to have the opportunity to compete at such an iconic venue against a quality opponent like the Tar Heels,” Mora said in a statement. “The chance to play in Boston will give our players, marching band, cheer squad, students, fans, and all of UConn Nation the chance to share in an unforgettable experience close to home.”

UNC finished the 2024 regular season 6-6 and qualified for a bowl game for the sixth consecutive season thanks to the efforts of Omarion Hampton, a two-time Doak Walker Award finalist who finished the season second nationally in rushing with 1,660 yards.

The Tar Heels fired coach Mack Brown at the conclusion of the regular season, and former Browns coach Freddie Kitchens is serving as interim coach. Former Patriots coach Bill Belichick reportedly interviewed for the vacancy.

“We are incredibly excited to compete in this year’s Wasabi Fenway Bowl, and to bring Tar Heel Football to one of the most legendary venues in sports,” Kitchens said in the release. “Fenway Park offers a truly unique and historic setting, and this game is a tremendous opportunity to celebrate the hard work of our student-athletes while creating unforgettable memories for our fans, families, and alumni.”

North Carolina has already been to Boston this season, losing to Boston College, 41-21, on Nov. 23 at Alumni Stadium.