Louisville punter Brady Hodges said he opted out of the Sun Bowl this week because the Cardinals' NIL collective did not pay money promised to him in September.

Capping off year two under head coach Jeff Brohm with a showdown against Washington in the Sun Bowl, the Cardinals were able to withstand a furious fourth quarter comeback attempt, coming out on top with a thrilling 35-34 victory on Tuesday at Sun Bowl Stadium.

EL PASO, Texas (AP) — Harrison Bailey is expected to start at quarterback for Louisville in the Sun Bowl against Washington, which means there won’t be a final trip to Texas for Tyler Shough before he pursues an NFL career.

The Louisville Cardinals appeared in the Sun Bowl. However, they were without their starting punter due to a dispute that didn't even sound real.

Louisville’s Dylan Merman (87) celebrates their win against Washington in the 91st Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl game on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024 at the Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas. / GABY VELASQUEZ/ USA TODAY / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Washington failed on a 2-point conversion with nine seconds remaining in regulation and lost the Sun Bowl 35–34 to Louisville on Tuesday. The Huskies scored a touchdown on fourth-and-1 on a fade pass from Demond Williams to Giles Jackson in the right back corner of the end zone.

The Louisville vs. Washington game will be televised nationally on CBS. The Sun Bowl kicks off at its traditional time of noon, Mountain. Analyst Gary Danielson will be calling his 17th Sun Bowl from the booth, alongside play-by-play broadcaster Brad Nessler. Jenny Dell is the sideline reporter.

Louisville punter Brady Hodges said he opted out of the Sun Bowl this week because the Cardinals' NIL collective did not pay money promised to him in September. Hodges posted on social media during Tuesday's game against Washington in El Paso,