• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, May 27, 2025

Portal-Depleted Marshall Bows Out of Independence Bowl

The football team has 36 players in the transfer portal and couldn’t muster enough players to face Army on Dec. 28. Louisiana Tech will take its place.

Sep 21, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Marshall Thundering Herd running back Ethan Payne (28) dives in for the touchdown during the first quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory
Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

The Marshall University football team has opted not to play in the Independence Bowl against Army on Dec. 28. 

In the past week, 29 players on scholarship have left the program—along with some coaches—after head coach Charles Huff took the open job at Southern Mississippi on Dec. 8. 

Marshall (10–3) beat Louisiana on Dec. 7 to claim the Sun Belt Conference Football Championship. It earned a bowl game appearance to face off against Army (11–2), which topped the American Athletic Conference standings. Now, Army will face a 5–7 Louisiana Tech team in a far less exciting matchup. 

The Independence Bowl is officially disappointed as well: “It is unfortunate that Marshall determined they won’t be able to compete in the bowl in a couple of weeks,” Executive director Missy Setters said in a statement. “Our goal was to create the best matchup possible for our local fans and college football fans throughout the country, and we think we did that with two conference champions.”

But Marshall didn’t think it could field a team. The program currently has 36 players in the transfer portal, including 29 scholarship players—and all three of its quarterbacks.

The transfer portal, first instituted in 2018 and modified three years later to allow college athletes to transfer schools without sitting on the sidelines for a year, is open until Dec. 28. (The loosened restrictions are just one of the recent changes that have helped lead to more parity in this year’s college football season.) Players in the portal are generally eligible to play in bowl games if they haven’t signed with a new team, but since the Independence Bowl is on the same date as the transfer deadline, outgoing Marshall players have no wiggle room.

While NIL (name, image, and likeness) deals are often cited as a primary driver of transfers, coaching changes are another big reason. As of Friday, only two schools had more scholarship players in the portal than Marshall: fellow Group of 5 programs New Mexico and Charlotte. Both teams will have new head coaches in 2025. 

But unlike Marshall, neither had winning records this year.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Ted Leonsis
exclusive

Where Do the Mystics Fit in a Rapidly Evolving WNBA?

The WNBA is increasingly divided between the new and old-guard owners.
Russian hockey

Russia Still Banned From 2026 Winter Olympics, IOC Confirms

Russia men’s hockey won gold and silver in 2018 and 2022, respectively.
Tennessee pitcher Brayden Krenzel (34) pitches during a NCAA baseball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Vanderbilt Commodores at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on May 11, 2025.

SEC Stranglehold on College Baseball Continues

SEC schools will host eight of the 16 regionals set to start this weekend.
Ohio State Buckeyes celebrate their 34-23 win over Notre Dame Fighting Irish to win the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025.
exclusive

Fox Was Willing to Move Ohio-State Texas from Noon to Primetime. Texas..

The game would have moved from Saturday to Sunday.

Featured Today

How Rolex Paved the Way for Luxury’s Love Affair With Tennis

“It’s almost impossible to think about tennis without thinking about Rolex.”
Mar 23, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Alexandra Eala (PHI) reacts after winning a point against Madison Keys (USA)(not pictured) on day six of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium.
May 24, 2025

Alex Eala Is Defying Her Country’s Odds to Make French Open History

The Philippines native has overcome a unique set of financial odds.
May 24, 2025

Indiana Is the Center of the Basketball Universe—Thanks to Both Pro Teams

The Fever and Pacers are thriving at the same time.
Around the Horn - October 26, 2020
May 23, 2025

‘Quirky, Nutty, Bombastic’: 10 ‘Around the Horn’ Faces on Their Top Moments

“A quirky, nutty, bombastic, mostly wrong, sometimes right, crazy sports family.”

Can Golf Emulate the College World Series Model?

Carlsbad, Calif., is hosting the event through 2028.
BYU QB
May 22, 2025

Woman Says Police Discouraged Rape Claim Against BYU Quarterback

The Provo police department denies her account.
May 22, 2025

New CFP Seeding Rewards Rankings, Not Titles—Except on the Paycheck

Last season, only conference champions could earn first-round byes.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

In Episode 7 of Portfolio Players, go inside the boardroom with Avenue Capital CEO and former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry on Giannis’s future, women’s sports, and upstart leagues like TGL and Unrivaled. 
Nov 23, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns running back Quintrevion Wisner (26) is tackled by Kentucky Wildcats defensive back Alex Afari Jr.(3) during the first half at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
May 21, 2025

Some Schools Concerned About Memo Binding Them to House Settlement

The memo would attempt to prevent the schools from suing the conferences.
Ziegler
May 21, 2025

Tennessee Guard Sues to Play Fifth Year of College Basketball, Citing NIL..

Zeigler was a four-year player at Tennessee and third-team All-American.
Mar 8, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs guard Tyrin Lawrence (7) shoots over Vanderbilt Commodores forward Devin McGlockton (99) during the first half at Stegeman Coliseum.
May 20, 2025

Charlie Baker: Power Conferences Will Enforce House Settlement, Not the NCAA

The NCAA will cede enforcement of amateurism to the power conferences.
Mar 30, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Houston Cougars forward J'Wan Roberts (13) dribbles the ball against Tennessee Volunteers forward Felix Okpara (34) in the second half during the Midwest Regional final of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium.
May 19, 2025

Even If House v. NCAA Settlement Is Denied, State Lawmakers Let Schools..

States are making it illegal for the NCAA to stop schools from paying players.