Springfield Standard

Missouri State University's football team is set to play its first home game as an FBS program against Southern Methodist University (SMU) on Saturday, September 13, 2025. The game will be held at Robert W. Plaster Stadium in Springfield, Missouri, with kickoff scheduled for 2:32 p.m. Central Time.

The Bears are coming off their first victory as an FBS team after defeating Marshall 21-20 last week. During that game, Missouri State overcame a 13-point second-half deficit. This marked the team's largest road comeback since overcoming a similar deficit at Northwestern State in 2014 and was their best come-from-behind win since a home game against Southern Illinois in 2016.

Kanye Young was named CUSA Defensive Player of the Week following his performance at Marshall, where he led the defense with seven tackles and secured the game-clinching interception. "Young paced a feisty Missouri State defense in the club's win at Marshall, posting a team-high 7 total tackles, including 3 solos, 2 QB hurries, a tackle for loss, and a game-clinching interception on Marshall's final drive of the game. Missouri State held Marshall to just 274 yards of total offense and 12 first downs on the night," according to team officials.

Quarterback Jacob Clark threw for more than 300 yards in the victory and surpassed both 5,000 career passing yards and 40 career touchdown passes during the contest. Clark is now a finalist for the Manning Award Star of the Week and received honorable mention for the Earl Campbell Award Player of the Week.

In addition to Young's recognition, redshirt freshman tight end Jeron Askren was named CUSA Freshman of the Week after catching what proved to be the winning touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter.

Missouri State has performed well at home in recent years, compiling a record of 17 wins in their last 23 home games dating back to March 2021. Head coach Ryan Beard holds a record of four wins and one loss in home openers during his time with Missouri State—two wins as head coach and two as defensive coordinator.

Longtime broadcaster Art Hains will call his final Missouri State football game this weekend against SMU. Hains began covering Bears athletics on radio in 1977 and is completing his second stint with nearly three thousand events broadcasted over his career.

This meeting marks the first-ever football matchup between Missouri State and SMU.

Coach Ryan Beard was appointed head coach on December 19, 2022. At age thirty-six entering this season, he is among the youngest head coaches in FBS football. Last year—the team's final season at the FCS level—Beard led Missouri State to an eight-win campaign and No. 23 national ranking. The Bears finished with six conference victories and reached eight overall wins for only the ninth time in program history.

"Head coach Ryan Beard was named the CUSA Coach of the Week by @CBSSports pundit Matt Zenitz earlier this week," university officials noted.

Beard's coaching background includes stints at Central Michigan and Louisville before joining Missouri State as defensive coordinator from 2020 through 2022 under then-head coach Bobby Petrino. During that period, he coached several all-conference players who went on to professional careers.

The upcoming home opener will also feature promotions such as rally towel giveaways and reunions for former Pride Bands members. Tickets are available through https://missouristatebears.com/tickets or by phone at (417)836-7678; box office sales begin at ten o'clock Saturday morning.