A college football bowl game has been thrown into a state of uncertainty, after one of the teams involved has reportedly declined to participate due to losing a number of players to the transfer portal.

Marshall was originally set to play Army in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana, on Dec. 28. However, according to college football insider Brett McMurphy, the Thundering Herd will not participate after over 30 Herd players entered the portal after the departure of now-former head coach Charles Huff.

Huff, Marshall’s head coach for four seasons, posted a 32-20 overall mark that included a Sun Belt title in 2024. But with his contract set to expire after the 2024 campaign and with no progress made toward an extension, he left for the vacant head coaching position at Southern Miss.

That led to the usual transfer portal exodus brought on by a coaching change, while former West Virginia and NC State defensive coordinator Tony Gibson was eventually hired as Huff’s replacement.

Marshall’s withdrawal opens the door for a 5-7 team to play, though as McMurphy notes, most student-athletes at those schools are already home for the holidays. According to The Athletic’s Scott Dochterman, Cincinnati and Wisconsin would be the top two choices among 5-7 programs based on their APR scores.