The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs will replace the Marshall Thundering Herd in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, it was announced Saturday.
Louisiana Tech (5-7) will face the No. 22 Army Black Knights (11-1) in the Independence Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 28 at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, La. The game will kickoff at 9:15pm ET / 8:15pm CT on ESPN.
“We are excited to accept the opportunity to play in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl against a fantastic and storied program as Army,” LA Tech Vice President and Director of Athletics Ryan Ivey. “I believe our football program is moving toward positive structure and the opportunity to play in this bowl adds to that momentum. We are looking forward to being in Shreveport for this matchup.”
Earlier on Saturday, Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports broke the news of the opt out.
Marshall won the Sun Belt Championship Game this season, their first as a member of the conference. However, head coach Charles Huff left the following day to take over the same position with the Southern Miss Golden Eagles. That move, along with the transfer portal opening, has led to a roster shortage in Huntington, W.Va., that the Herd could not overcome.
“It is unfortunate that Marshall determined they won’t be able to compete in the bowl in a couple of weeks. 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,” said Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl Executive Director Missy Setters. “Moving forward we are very excited to host Louisiana Tech and are thrilled we found an opponent for Army. We appreciate La Tech AD Ryan Ivey, Coach Sonny Cumbie, their players, and support staff for their willingness to step up and play in our bowl game.
“Army has had a tremendous season, and Bowl Season is all about celebrating that success and providing a reward at the end of the season. We look forward to showing both teams what our community is all about and providing them with an unforgettable Bowl Week experience.”
The college football bowl schedule for the 2024-25 season kicked off earlier today with the Cricket Celebration Bowl in Atlanta, Ga. Jackson State defeated South Carolina State in that contest, 28-7.
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