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Why did Marshall opt out of bowl game? Explaining team to face Army
Army football is set to face Louisiana Tech in the Independence Bowl on Saturday night. It’s the second team the Black Knights have been slated to play this bowl season.
No. 18 Army (11-2) was originally slated to play Marshall after winning the American Athletic Conference, however, the Thundering Herd opted out of the bowl game, allowing for the Bulldogs (5-7) to reach the postseason despite not reaching the typical 6-win threshold.
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Army, coming off a loss to arch-rival Navy, is looking to reach 12 wins for the first time in program history. Quarterback Bryson Daily, who finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting, had one of the best seasons ever for the Black Knights, scoring 38 total touchdowns with a team-leading 1,532 rushing yards.
There are numerous reasons as to why Army won’t be taking on Marshall, who went 10-3 this season and won the Sun Belt championship.
Here’s an explanation of Army’s opponent in the Independence Bowl on Saturday:
Why is Army playing Louisiana Tech instead of Marshall?
Marshall backed out of the Independence Bowl in wake of coach Charles Huff leaving for the Southern Miss job, which resulted in numerous Thundering Herd players entering the transfer portal.
Marshall simply was left with hardly a roster and no head coach, resulting in the opt out.
Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger reported Louisiana Tech was selected as the replacement due to its Academic Progress Rate despite not reaching the 6-win bowl eligibility threshold. Dellenger added multiple 5-win teams had better APR than Louisiana Tech, however, were unable to commit to the game based on the short turnaround of the matchup after Marshall’s opt out.
Why did Marshall opt out of bowl game?
Marshall opted out of the game due to having a substantial number of players enter the transfer portal following Huff’s departure to Southern Miss.
The Thundering Herd had over 25 players enter the transfer portal, including all three of their scholarship quarterbacks.
“It is unfortunate that Marshall determined they won’t be able to compete in the bowl in a couple of weeks,” Independence Bowl 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. Moving forward we are very excited to host Louisiana Tech and are thrilled we found an opponent for Army.”
According to On3’s transfer portal database, Marshall has lost 45 players to the transfer portal this offseason.
Why is Louisiana Tech in Independence Bowl?
Louisiana Tech was the replacement for Marshall, who opted out of the Independence Bowl due to losing a large group of players to the transfer portal.
Louisiana Tech was then selected due to its Academic Progress Rate, despite not having the highest among 5-win teams. The Bulldogs (5-7) didn’t reach the 6-win bowl threshold, but were picked since there were no 6-win teams left to choose from.
Louisiana Tech’s APR was also not the highest among 5-win teams, but was selected after multiple teams in front of it in the pecking order couldn’t commit to the game with the short turnaround after Marshall’s opt out.
Marshall University announced that they will be opting out of their bowl game this year. The decision comes as a surprise to many fans and supporters of the Thundering Herd, who were looking forward to seeing their team compete in postseason play.
There are a few reasons behind Marshall’s decision to opt out of the bowl game. The team cited concerns over player health and safety, as well as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. With cases on the rise and the uncertainty surrounding travel and gatherings, the coaching staff and administration felt it was in the best interest of the players to forego the bowl game.
In lieu of their bowl game, Marshall will be facing off against Army in a special exhibition game. This matchup will give the Thundering Herd one last chance to showcase their talent and compete against a tough opponent before the end of the season.
While it may be disappointing for fans to see Marshall opt out of their bowl game, the health and safety of the players should always be the top priority. The team is looking forward to the challenge of facing Army and ending their season on a high note.
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