Springfield Standard

Missouri State University's football team will resume Conference USA play on Wednesday, October 22, facing New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. Both teams have identical records of 3-3 overall, with Missouri State at 1-1 and New Mexico State at 1-2 in conference games. The game will kick off at 8:00 p.m. Central time at Aggie Memorial Stadium and will be broadcast nationally on CBS Sports Network.

This meeting marks the first time the two programs have played each other. Missouri State enters the game following a road win over Middle Tennessee on October 8, where freshman quarterback Deuce Bailey made his first career start. Bailey completed 16 of 31 passes for 278 yards and a touchdown and rushed for another score. His performance earned him the Conference USA Freshman of the Week award.

Head coach Ryan Beard is preparing for his 30th career game leading the Bears. Beard has an overall record of 15-14 and a conference record of 10-8. In night games, his teams are 5-4. Beard was officially named head coach on December 19, 2022. At age 36, he is the fifth-youngest head coach in the FBS ranks.

Reflecting on Beard’s tenure, the Bears finished the 2024 season—Missouri State’s last at the FCS level—with an 8-4 record and a No. 23 national ranking. The team recorded eight consecutive wins and produced several all-conference players and All-Americans. Quarterback Jacob Clark was a finalist for the Walter Payton FCS Player of the Year award, and running back Jacardia Wright signed with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent.

This season, Missouri State’s defense has limited opponents to under 30 points for five straight games. The Bears are tied for eighth nationally in fourth-down defense, allowing only two conversions out of seven attempts. Punter Stewart McDonald has averaged 45.9 yards per punt this season, which would rank fourth in Conference USA and twentieth nationally if he met the minimum attempts required for ranking.

Offensively, wide receiver Jmariyae Robinson is three receptions away from becoming the seventeenth player in program history to reach 100 career catches. Linebacker Jalen Brooks is among the conference leaders in fumble recoveries and forced fumbles.

Missouri State’s most recent win over Middle Tennessee drew more than 338,000 viewers on ESPN2, making it the most-watched Conference USA game of that week according to SportsMediaWatch.

Following the game against New Mexico State, Missouri State will host Florida International University on October 29.

Coach Beard’s background includes stints as defensive coordinator for Missouri State from 2020 to 2022 and previous coaching roles at Central Michigan and Louisville. He played college football at Western Kentucky, where he was a two-time All-Sun Belt Conference selection. Beard holds both bachelor's and master's degrees from Western Kentucky.

Tickets for the upcoming game are available through TicketMaster or by calling (575) 646-1420. The game can also be followed on KWTO (101.3 FM), the Bears Radio Network, and the Varsity Network App.

For more information about Missouri State Bears football and updates throughout the season, fans can follow the team's social media channels or download the Bears Mobile App from the App Store or Google Play Store.