Marshall quarterback Braylon Braxton (1) is tackled by James Madison defensive lineman Eric O’Neill (99) during the second half of a Sun Belt Conference football game in Harrisonburg, Va., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
Marshall quarterback Braylon Braxton (1) is tackled by James Madison defensive lineman Eric O’Neill (99) during the second half of a Sun Belt Conference football game in Harrisonburg, Va., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
HUNTINGTON — Marshall’s appearance in the Sun Belt Conference football championship game at Louisiana on Saturday will be, in a way, the completion of “the process†the Thundering Herd’s coach has often referenced.
“Although we all, myself included, would have loved to see it happen at a lot quicker rate, the process is the process for a reason,†Marshall coach Charles Huff said.
“We’ve adapted. We’ve adjusted, we’ve been supported, not only in-house with our administration and our in-house support, but externally as well, with the fans and the donors and the supporters, the former players, and the alumni. This is a moment for all of us to celebrate.â€
It’s the Herd’s first chance to take home a conference title since it hosted the Conference USA championship game in 2020, falling to UAB. The Herd’s only title in the last two decades came under Doc Holliday in 2014, despite playing in the C-USA championship three times.
“All I ever want to do is win a championship for this team, this community and this university,†said Herd offensive lineman Logan Osburn, who was on that C-USA runner-up team in 2020. “So to finally be able to give back to that ... that would just mean everything to me. I’m really excited. Like I said, I can’t wait to go out there and play.â€
This week hasn’t come without its fair share of chatter, though. Huff said he plans to coach the game despite his expiring contract and having been linked to other coaching jobs in recent weeks.
None of that, Huff said, has bled over into preparations for Saturday’s game. Marshall defensive lineman Mike Green said the Herd’s sideline boss has been honest and direct about the noise around him.
“I have tremendous respect for coach Huff and the way that he approached this,†Green said. “It’s football, it’s a business and you don’t necessarily know what’s going to happen. I think the team has been doing a good job of just focusing on this game because nothing else really matters.â€
The Ragin’ Cajuns finished the regular season 10-2, with losses only to Tulane and South Alabama. This will be the fifth time they’ve played for a Sun Belt title in the past seven years.
Marshall, though, feels well-prepared for its third consecutive road contest after winning six straight games to conclude the regular season.
“We talked about the margin of error being extremely small,†Huff said. “We talked about [how], in order to maximize our opportunities, we’ve got to maximize every day of preparation, and the players have had unbelievable buzz and juice these first couple of days of preparation.â€
The game is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and will be broadcast on ESPN.
Luke Creasy is a sports reporter for HD Media. He can be reached by phone at 304-526-2800.
