Marshall Withdraws from Independence Bowl After Player Exodus and Coaching Change

The Sun Belt champions cited a depleted roster caused by mass transfers following head coach Charles Huff's departure.

Marshall announced its withdrawal from the Dec. 28 Independence Bowl against Army due to an insufficient roster after 36 players entered the transfer portal.
The player exodus followed head coach Charles Huff's move to Southern Mississippi shortly after leading the team to a Sun Belt Conference championship.
The Thundering Herd's roster losses included all three quarterbacks, as well as several key starters, leaving the team unable to field a competitive lineup.
Marshall's decision ends its streak of eight consecutive postseason appearances, marking its first absence from a bowl game since 2016.
Louisiana Tech, a 5-7 team, was selected as Marshall's replacement to face Army, with the NCAA relying on Academic Progress Rate scores to fill the vacancy.