Fenway Bowl Picks & Odds: Reeling Bearcats Clash With Rival Louisville

Coach Scott Satterfield’s old and new teams collide as the Cincinnati Bearcats (9-3 SU, 3-8-1 ATS) face the Louisville Cardinals (7-5, 7-5) in the first-ever college football game at Fenway Park. Cincinnati has covered just one of its last eight games and is 2-5 SU and ATS in its last seven postseason contests.

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Fenway Bowl Sportsbook Odds

The Bearcats opened as 1-point favorites but the line flipped to Louisville as small chalk following the departure of several Cincinnati coaches and players. The total was set at a lowly 44.5 after the Cardinals went UNDER in five of their last six games and Cincinnati stayed UNDER in six of its final eight.

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Latest Betting Notes: Cincinnati

Although Satterfield is already on the recruiting path as Cincinnati’s new coach, he won’t be on the sidelines to lead the Bearcats in the Fenway Bowl. Interim coach Kerry Coombs will also be without several assistant coaches — including defensive coordinator Mike Tressel — who are following Luke Fickell to Wisconsin.

The Bearcats will be missing a few big names on the field as well after tight end Josh Whyle opted out and receiver Jadon Thompson, cornerback Ja’Quan Sheppard and kicker Ryan Coe entered the transfer portal. Whyle’s absence will be most felt in the red zone, where the first-team all-American Athletic Conference selection had the most touchdowns by a tight end in program history, while Sheppard is another all-AAC first-teamer.

Cincy hasn’t been good to its backers in the past couple of months, going 1-6-1 ATS in its last eight games. The Bearcats are also 2-5 SU and ATS in their last seven postseason appearances.

Latest Betting Notes: Louisville

Former Purdue coach Jeff Brohm has been hired as Satterfield’s successor in Louisville, but former Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch will serve as the team’s interim coach against Cincinnati. At the time of writing, Branch was expected to have a full roster at his disposal as no Cardinals players had opted out or entered the transfer portal in advance of the Fenway Bowl.

A shoulder injury caused dual-threat quarterback Malik Cunningham to see limited action in Louisville’s season-ending 26-13 loss to Kentucky, but the three-week break before the Fenway Bowl should buy him time to heal up and be 100 percent. Cunningham ran for 12 touchdowns this season while adding another eight through the air.

The biggest key to Louisville’s turnaround season, however, has been the play of its defense. Led by star linebacker Yasir Abdullah, the Cardinals allowed 21 points or less in five of their last seven games, going 5-2 SU and ATS during that span.

Keys To Victory: Cincinnati

Cincinnati is clearly the better of the two teams, having gone to the national playoff a year ago and falling one win short of its third straight AAC title this season. If the Bearcats can block out the distractions of their coaching changes and player departures, they should be able to win this game comfortably.

Keys To Victory: Louisville

The Cardinals defense has relied on forcing turnovers this season, including three forced fumbles and two interceptions by Abdullah alone. A healthy Cunningham can also wreak havoc on a Cincinnati defense that won’t have its usual coordinator to help it prepare.

Fenway Bowl Computer Pick: Cincinnati +1

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