Report: Marshall to opt out of Independence Bowl vs. Army due to transfer portal departures

Two weeks before the Independence Bowl against Army, Marshall is planning to opt out of the game, Yahoo! Sports’ Ross Dellenger reported. The Thundering Herd have lost 29 players to the transfer portal through the first week of the window.

The Independence Bowl is set for Dec. 28, and Dellenger said the original game matched up two American Athletic Conference teams. Army had a previously existing agreement to play before joining the conference this season. Now, the search is on for a replacement, and officials are working through the academic progress rate scores of teams with a 5-7 record.

Teams become bowl-eligible with six wins, but depending on the number of teams to reach that mark, five-win teams can also be considered. Those programs with 5-7 records can be considered for bowl games based on their APR to help fill out the matchups.

For example, in 2023, Minnesota played in a bowl game despite winning just five games. The Golden Gophers had the highest APR of 5-7 programs, meaning they were able to play in the Quick Lane Bowl, where they defeated Bowling Green.

Marshall went 10-3 this season under Charles Huff, who left to become the next head coach at Southern Miss after leading the Thundering Herd to a Sun Belt championship. The Thundering Herd hired Tony Gibson as his replacement, but saw a slew of players enter the portal following Huff’s departure. By Thursday, 25 players hit the open market, with more to follow as the week went along.

Since taking over, Gibson has been recruiting some of the players who entered the portal. He understands why so many members of the Thundering Herd decided to test the transfer market after a coaching change.

“Any time coaches leave to take other jobs, it is emotional,” Gibson said during his introductory press conference. “And kids that are 18-to-22 years old are going to make emotional decisions instead of just breathing for a day or two.”