UNC vs. UConn opt-outs and injury report: Top players not participating in Wasabi Fenway Bowl

The UConn Huskies (8-4) will take on the North Carolina Tar Heels (6-6), who sacked coach Mack Brown and appointed former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, in the Fenway Bowl on Saturday. The game will see several absences from both teams due to opt-outs, transfer portal entrants and injuries.

So, which players will miss the Fenway Bowl at Fenway Park today?

UConn opt-outs and transfer portal players

The UConn Huskies will be without the services of 10 players who have entered the transfer portal.

They include running back Durrell Robinson, cornerback Reggie Akles, punter Nathaniel Wallace-Dilling, cornerback Jarvarius Sims, defensive back Lee Molette III, wide receiver Brock Montgomery, linebacker Julien Simon, defensive lineman Pryce Yates, wide receiver Skyler Bell and cornerback Malcolm Bell.

The most significant loss for the Huskies will be wide receiver Skyler Bell, who tallied 783 yards on 47 receptions, resulting in four touchdowns, during the regular season, and running back Durrell Robinson, who registered eight rushing touchdowns and 6.8 yards per carry.

North Carolina opt-outs and transfer portal players

The North Carolina Tar Heels will be without the services of running back Omarion Hampton, who declared for the 2025 NFL draft and opted out of his team's Fenway Bowl clash against the UConn Huskies.

He tallied 1,660 yards on 281 carries for fifteen touchdowns and was only overshadowed by Heisman Trophy runner-up, Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty, in terms of rushing yards in the country. He led the ACC in both rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.

The Tar Heels will also be without the services of seven other players who have entered the transfer portal. They include offensive lineman Eli Sutton, offensive tackle Howard Sampson, long snapper Garrett Jordan, offensive tackle Andrew Rosinski, quarterback Conner Harrell, running back Jordan Louie and offensive lineman Zach Greenberg.

The North Carolina Tar Heels will be overseen by tight ends coach and interim head coach Freddie Kitchens in the Fenway Bowl clash against the UConn Huskies, with Bill Belichick set to take charge of the team afterward.

The game will be held at Fenway Stadium in Boston, Massachusetts, and televised on ESPN at 11 a.m. ET. The Huskies are one-touchdown favorites for the clash, according to BetMGM, after completing an 8-4 season. Meanwhile, the Tar Heels struggled in a few games, including a blowout 70-50 loss to the James Madison Dukes, culminating in a 6-6 finish.