Missouri State University has made headlines by announcing its move from the Missouri Valley Football Conference to Conference USA starting in 2025. Despite historically struggling in football, the Bears have shown improvement in recent years, particularly since hiring Bobby Petrino as head coach in 2020. With Petrino’s departure in 2022 and the promotion of Ryan Beard to head coach, the Bears are gearing up for the transition to FBS.
Beard acknowledges the need for infrastructure improvements to support the program’s success at the higher level of competition. Missouri State’s potential competitiveness in Conference USA has been supported by Jeff Sagarin’s College Football Ratings, which ranked the Bears favorably compared to teams in the conference.
While the move to Conference USA offers new revenue streams and television exposure, the Bears will face challenges, including a lack of postseason eligibility in 2024 and 2025. Despite this, Beard remains optimistic about the program’s ability to attract talent and compete at the FBS level.
The transition to FBS has already shown promise, with Missouri State recruiting higher-caliber players than in the past. Recruiting success and increased interest from potential athletes reflect the growing potential of Missouri State football in Conference USA. The Bears are setting their sights on a competitive future in their new conference, with Beard confident in the team’s ability to rise to the challenge.
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