For teams like Missouri State, the fall of 2025 brings great excitement as the Bears prepare for their first season as not only a member of Conference USA, but also as a member of the Football Bowl Subdivision. Up until this point, the Missouri State Bears were a proud FCS program with a notable history of success at that level, boasting ten conference championships, 156 first-team All-Conference selections, and 56 All-Americans. Now, they look to continue on that success in year one, competing in the Conference USA. In addition to the program’s history of success, Missouri State boasts a third-year Head Coach, Ryan Beard, who many consider one of the best up-and-coming coaches in the business. In his two years as Head Coach at Missouri State, the Bears have seen vast improvement from 4-7 in his first season in 2023 to doubling the win total last season and leading Missouri State to an 8-4 record and a top-four finish in the Missouri Valley Conference after going 6-2 in conference play.

Coming into the fall of 2025, Missouri State has eleven returning starters, which is not only surprising but also positions the team to make the transition to the FBS level as smoothly as possible, thanks to the eleven returning impact players from last season. Despite needing a little help, either due to not having enough bowl-eligible teams this season or a waiver from the NCAA to reach the postseason because of an outdated two-year transition rule, Coach Beard has his program ready to continue building something special in Springfield, Missouri.

From an offensive viewpoint, Missouri State, with its seven returning starters from last season, is led by quarterback Jacob Clark and Jmariyae Robinson at wide receiver. Missouri State has the pieces to compete for the title as one of the most prolific teams in the Conference USA this season. Just last season, Jacob Clark threw for 3,604 yards, while throwing 26 touchdowns with only six interceptions, ranking him among the best in the FCS. On the offensive line, Missouri State returns four out of the five from last season, including Hutson Lillibridge at Right Guard, Erick Cade at Right Tackle, Mark Hutchinson at Left Guard, and the man himself, Cash Hudson, at Center.

On the defensive side of the ball, Missouri State returns three starters from last season and a few additions from the transfer portal. Returning this season for Missouri State on the defensive side of the ball are Gilles Tchio at Defensive Tackle, Dylan Simmons, and JJ O’Neal in the secondary. Missouri State added Jalen Brooks from Campbell at linebacker and DJ Wesolak from Oregon State to add depth on the defensive side of the ball.

On special teams this season, Missouri State welcomes back Place Kicker Yousef Obeid to campus after a breakout 2024 season, during which Obeid made eleven out of his twelve attempts. At punter, freshman Stewart McDonald will likely be the guy Coach Beard and his staff turn to to flip the field for the Bears this season.

From a scheduling perspective, Coach Ryan Beard and his staff didn’t duck the smoke this season with their four non-conference games, including the opener at USC, a September 6th road trip at Marshall, before returning home for the home opener on the 13th of September against SMU, and before closing out the non-conference slate against FCS power UT-Martin. Missouri State will then open Conference USA play with Western Kentucky at home before heading to Murfreesboro to take on Middle Tennessee State. In reality, Missouri State has a legitimate shot at going anywhere from 8-4 again to maybe 10-2 and a trip to the postseason. With the experience returning on the offensive side of the ball, the potential for this 2025 Missouri State team is very high to break through that first year in the CUSA ceiling.

Overall, the potential is there for Missouri State to take teams by surprise this fall as Coach Beard and his staff look to continue on the upward trajectory for a bright future of Bears football.

Photo Credits- Missouri State Football on X ( @MoStateFootball)