Last year was the first for Missouri State in the FBS and it transitioned seamlessly.
The Bears went 7-5 in the regular season, 5-3 in Conference USA play, and reached a bowl game, losing to Arkansas State in the Xbox Bowl.
Former head coach Ryan Beard is now at Coastal Carolina, though. Casey Woods was hired in December as the new head coach and comes from SMU, where he spent the previous four seasons as offensive coordinator. He’ll get a shot at beating his former team Sept. 26.
This is Woods’ first stint as head coach, so it’ll be intriguing to see what the Bears can accomplish against a schedule that should prove challenging.
Missouri State Season Preview
Even through the coaching change, there are still a few returning players, especially on the offensive side of the ball. How will they mesh with the new culture and system?
I think being able to retain some key production from last year was an encouraging first step for Woods and his staff.
Missouri State Offense Could Surprise
Woods managed a potent offense while at SMU, and I imagine he wants the Bears to run a similar style and look to push the ball downfield. He should have two guys battling for the quarterback spot in seniors Henry Belin IV and Skyler Locklear.
Belin was previously at Duke and started two games over the past three years while Locklear started 16 games at UTEP over the past two seasons where he passed for 3,001 yards and 23 touchdowns while completing 60% of his passes. Missouri State’s new OC, Mark Cala, also comes from UTEP which could give an initial slight edge to Locklear in the QB competition. But both guys have a strong shot of being named the Week 1 starter.
Regardless of who’s QB1, they will be relying on a lot of inexperience on the offensive front to protect them. The Bears return hardly any starts from last season. Junior Matthew Greene saw action in every game and started six games at right guard. Redshirt freshman King Large also comes from SMU and could earn a starting spot at one of the tackle positions.
Senior wide receiver Jmariyae Robinson has been with the Bears his entire career and has started 16 games over the previous two years. Last season, he led the team with 44 receptions and seven TDs while his 632 receiving yards were second-most. He should maintain his role as an important piece of this offense and could be an all-conference wideout.
Makai Cope is another returning senior wideout who earned five starts in 2025 while tight end Jeron Askren started 11 contests and grabbed 19 catches for 224 yards and five scores.
The Bears will also be bringing back their second leading rusher from last year in Ramone Green Jr. He rushed for 278 yards on 58 carries and was dangerous as a pass catcher, hauling in 29 receptions for 446 yards and three TDs. The junior has gamebreaking speed, so it will be interesting to see how he’s utilized in Woods’ offense.
Breezy Dubar, a transfer from Boise State, should also see a ton of snaps and at 6-foot, 205 pounds, his size will complement Green’s speed.
Linebackers Set Tone For Missouri State Defense
Defensively, seniors Jared Lloyd and Dylan Dixson should be two of the spark plugs for the Bears.
Lloyd, the Mike linebacker, started all 13 games and tied for a team-high 77 total tackles. He also tallied 4.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Dixson, who handles the hybrid STAR role, started seven games where he registered 50 total tackles and three pass breakups.
Junior safety Christian Ford should be in line for a big season after a strong 2025 campaign. He started 12 games for the Bears and had 52 total tackles and three pass breakups. Ford should be paired in the secondary with redshirt senior J.J. O’Neal. O’Neal was voted a team captain and saw a lot of action early last year. However, he only played in four games and ended up using his redshirt.
The cornerback spots look like they’ll be decided between transfers. Joel Kpassou, a senior, could be a frontrunner for a starting nod. He started nine games last year at Duquesne and earned second-team all-conference honors.
While there will be a few established returners in the middle of the field and the secondary, the defensive line seems like it lacks experience.
Sophomore defensive end Kellen Lindstrom could be the big addition for this unit after transferring in from Tennessee. There, Lindstrom played in three games last year and redshirted in 2024. Returning senior Tim Brantley Jr. could prove to be the Bears’ force in the interior after starting two games and having a strong showing at the end of last season.
It is also worth noting that 6-foot-4, 280-pound Missouri State basketball standout Michael Osei-Bonsu is listed on the football roster as a tight end and defensive lineman.
MSU’s new defensive coordinator, Jack Curtis, has guided a lot of strong defenses over the past few decades. I think the Bears’ defense will prove to be better than expected.
2026 Missouri State Schedule
| Date | Opponent |
| 9/5 | at Texas A&M |
| 9/12 | vs. Lindenwood |
| 9/19 | vs. Marshall |
| 9/26 | at SMU |
| 10/8 | at Western Kentucky |
| 10/14 | vs. Kennesaw State |
| 10/20 | at Delaware |
| 10/27 | vs. Sam Houston |
| 11/7 | at FIU |
| 11/14 | vs. New Mexico State |
| 11/21 | at Jacksonville State |
| 11/28 | vs. Liberty |
Missouri State’s Conference USA Championship Betting Odds
Missouri State has +2800 college football betting odds to win CUSA. The Bears have the second-longest odds in the league.
Missouri State’s Betting Odds & Over/Under Win Total
- Missouri State’s win total Over/Under is at 4.5
- The Over is at +130
- The Under is at -165
Missouri State’s Season Prediction
I predict Missouri State wins three games and fails to compete for a CUSA championship in Woods’ first season.
The Bears have a tough schedule, both in terms of non-conference and conference slates. I think they’ll be competitive and find a way to grind out a few victories, including a couple wins against some evenly-matched opponents at home.
I think they will also have reliable QB play and a defense that is able to keep them in a lot of contests, which could pave the way for a few upsets.
