Marshall

Marshall's offseason centered on addressing a porous offense through the transfer portal, bringing in 26 new faces while watching 22 players depart. The Thundering Herd's offensive unit grades out at 110th nationally in JP+'s preseason ratings, dragging down an overall power rating of -5.7 that ranks 101st in the country. Carlos Del Rio-Wilson returns as the starting quarterback, but he'll be joined by transfer Khalil Wilkins from West Virginia, who brings 11.7 PPA of production to provide depth and competition. The backfield faces a complete rebuild after losing Justin Williams-Thomas to UMass and Michael Allen to East Carolina, while the receiving corps adds Chris Culliver from North Carolina and Christian Hamilton from West Virginia to bolster a passing attack that desperately needs playmakers.

JP+ projects just 0.1 wins for Marshall in what appears to be a rebuilding campaign, with Penn State representing both the toughest and only scheduled opponent in their abbreviated sample. The defense ranks a more respectable 90th nationally and could keep games competitive if the transfer additions can quickly mesh with Del Rio-Wilson in the offensive system. If the portal pickups gel immediately and the running game finds identity behind new faces, Marshall could surprise in Sun Belt play. If not, another disappointing season looms as the program works to establish consistent offensive production.