Sun Belt fines Marshall $100K for opting out of bowl game

The Sun Belt fined Marshall $100,000 for opting out of the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, the conference announced Friday.

Marshall was impacted by head coach Charles Huff's departure to Southern Miss ahead of the bowl game. The roster was reduced to 41 total players after as many as 36 players entered the transfer portal. Southern Miss alone added 17 former Marshall players.

Marshall athletic director Christian Spears accepted the fine and offered an apology to the conference for the late withdrawal from the game, but he stood by the decision, saying it was to "prioritize the health and safety" of the Thundering Herd's players.

"We are excited about the dialogue that's happening nationally right now around some rules changes (specifically, a single portal window that would move to January) to make sure that no other institution, ever, has this happen," Spears said, according to Chris Low of ESPN.

Louisiana Tech replaced Marshall in the Independence Bowl. Army topped the Bulldogs 27-6.

Marshall finished the season with a 10-3 record and won the Sun Belt championship by beating Louisiana before Huff and multiple players left the program.