Missouri State Adheres to the Conference USA, In July 2025, the Bears will become a full-time member of the league. The Bears are the most recent in a long line of FCS teams to advance to the FBS’s top division. The college football scene is always changing, and this will lead to another growth in the FBS.
MO State will become a member institution of Conference USA on July 1, 2025, adding another FCS programmed to the league’s expanding membership, the organization announced on Friday.
In a statement, C-USA commissioner Judy MacLeod remarked, “We are very excited to welcome Missouri State University as the 12th member of Conference USA.” “The university has a distinguished history in both academics and athletics, which will support and better equip our members for long-term success in the marketplace.
Missouri State accepts invitation to join Conference USA
We are excited to work together with President Clif Smart, Dr. Biff Williams, the next president, Kyle Moats, the director of athletics, and their whole leadership group.” After being completely destroyed by the most recent round of conference realignment, which was sparked by Texas and Oklahoma’s transfer to the SEC three years ago, C-USA has gradually restored its membership.
Ahead of the 2023 season, Liberty, Jacksonville State, and Sam Houston—in its inaugural year as an FBS program—joined C-USA. In July, Kennesaw State will enter conference competitions. In 2025, Delaware will become the second state after Missouri St to leave the FCS USA College Football .
Although Missouri State is now a beach volleyball affiliate member of C-USA, full membership with competition in all sports will be achieved by 2025.
Missouri State heads to FBS joining Conference USA in 2025
President of Missouri State Clif Smart remarked, “This is an exciting day for Missouri State.” “The advantages of belonging to an FBS conference enable us to further develop as an institution and enhance our standing in the community. We have enjoyed being a part of the Missouri Valley Conference, one of the top conferences in the NCAA, and we’re excited to spend one more year there before moving to CUSA.”
Missouri State is investing much in football and hopes to share in the profits generated by the game. That compensation is negligible at the Missouri Valley Football Conference level.
Leagues have shrunk and discussions about new, alternative college athletics models have taken place as conference realignment, which has shook the college athletics scene when Oklahoma and Texas moved from the Big 12 to the SEC, occurred. Missouri State needed to make sure it didn’t fall behind.
Missouri State football is now in the “Group of 5” after moving to CUSA. During its three seasons under Bobby Petrino, the school began to realise the advantages that a successful football programme would bring. With this move, under coach Ryan Beard, the school aims to build on that success.
Not that other sports will fall behind, but there are concerns about the league’s strength, especially in men’s basketball. Clif Smart, the university president, is leaving, but Missouri State has made it obvious that it wants to be a player in athletics and build its national brand in one final move.
Following Bobby Petrino’s departure as head coach, MO State last qualified for the FCS Playoffs in 2021. Bobby Petrino is currently Arkansas’s offensive coordinator. Under new coach Ryan Beard, the Bears finished 2023 with a 4-7 record. Read more about Missouri State joins Conference USA
