Missouri State will move up to the highest level of Division I college football and join Conference USA in 2025, the league announced Friday.
Missouri State will become the 12th full member of CUSA and the third school, joining Kennesaw State this season and Delaware in 2025, to move from FCS to FBS and join the league over the next two seasons.
A long-time member of the Missouri Valley Conference, Missouri State has been competing in the FCS/I-AA since 1981. The Bears have made the NCAA playoffs four times, most recently in 2020 and 2021 with the then-coach Bobby Petrino.
“The institution has a rich tradition in athletics and academics that will further strengthen and position our members for long-term success on the national stage,” said Conference USA Commissioner Judy MacLeod.
Conference USA lost six members to the American Athletic Conference and rebuilt itself by adding former independents Liberty and New Mexico State and former FCS schools Sam Houston State and Jacksonville State last year.
The rest of Conference USA includes Louisiana Tech, Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee State, UTEP and Florida International.
