Marshall has a future battle on its hands as Conference USA has released its 2022 football schedules, and they include three schools that announced their intention to depart the league by July 1 of this year, one of which is MU.
Last Friday, Marshall, Old Dominion and Southern Mississippi said they plan to play in the Sun Belt Conference this fall.
In its statement, Marshall said it first communicated in early December 2021 its intent to leave C-USA at the end of the 2021-2022 academic year, and that the league has not been willing to discuss a resolution toward the matter.
Marshall Interim Athletic Director Jeff O’Malley released a statement through social media to say the Herd stood by its stance from last Friday.
Marshall Athletics is aware that Conference USA released its 2022 football schedule this afternoon, however, we stand by our statement from Friday. https://t.co/Ivh4qWQoPd
— Jeff O’Malley (@jeffgoherd) February 15, 2022
C-USA has said it expects the Thundering Herd, Monarchs and Golden Eagles to honor contracts to their current conference and follow bylaws that would keep them members through the 2022-2023 academic year.
“Conference USA intends to conduct the 2022-23 athletic year with the full 14 institution membership intact,” said the league’s board in a statement. “The C-USA Board of Directors will exhaust all necessary legal actions to ensure all members meet their contractual obligations as defined by and agreed to in the Conference USA Bylaws.”
The issue appears likely to play out in court as C-USA bylaws state that members need to give the conference 14 months notice before departing. Marshall, ODU and Southern Miss announced they’d become Sun Belt members in October 2021.
The Sun Belt is scheduled to release its 2022 football schedules in next two weeks.
Marshall’s 2022 Football Schedule (per Conference USA release)
Saturday, Sept. 3 — vs. Norfolk State
Saturday, Sept. 10 — at Notre Dame
Saturday, Sept. 17 — at Bowling Green
Saturday, Sept. 24 — vs. Appalachian State
Saturday, Oct. 8 — at UAB
Saturday, Oct. 15 — vs. North Texas
Saturday, Oct. 22 — at Western Kentucky
Saturday, Oct. 29 — vs. Charlotte
Saturday, Nov. 5 — at Old Dominion
Saturday, Nov. 12 — vs. Florida Atlantic
Saturday, Nov. 19 — vs. Middle Tennessee
Saturday, Nov. 26 — at Florida International