(This story has been updated to add new information).
Opting out of bowl games has become a common occurrence in the modern college football landscape, with players choosing not to play in the postseason for various reasons, often to prepare for the NFL draft.
Heading into this year’s bowl season, there’s an entire team making the decision not to play.
Marshall has informed officials from the Independence Bowl that it will not play its scheduled game against Army on Dec. 28 in Shreveport, Louisiana, according to a report Saturday from Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports.
Marshall has notified officials that it is opting out of the Independence Bowl vs. Army, sources tell @YahooSports.
Absent of 6-6 teams, officials are working to determine a replacement thru a ranking of NCAA APR scores of 5-7 teams. Marshall has lost 25+ players in the portal.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) December 14, 2024
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Marshall will be replaced by Louisiana Tech, according to multiple reports. The Bulldogs finished the regular season 5-7. Their proximity to the Independence Bowl, with the school’s Ruston, Louisiana campus only about an hour away from Shreveport, made them an enticing option as a relatively late replacement.
Source: Louisiana Tech will replace Marshall in the Independence Bowl and face Army, @TheAthletic has learned.
The proximity of the 5-7 Bulldogs made sense at the last minute after…
