DALLAS — After reaching a resolution with Louisiana Tech earlier this week, Conference USA officials announced a revised 2026 conference football schedule early Wednesday (April 29), with each of the league’s remaining 10 teams retaining an eight-game slate for the upcoming season.
Missouri State will kick off its second campaign in Conference USA on Thursday, Oct. 8 at Western Kentucky in the club’s first trip to Bowling Green since 2005. The game will also commence a stretch of four straight Weekday CUSA games in the month of October.
The home league opener will take place at Robert W. Plaster Stadium on Wednesday, Oct. 14 when the Bears host Kennesaw State in the Owls first visit to Springfield since 2019.
Missouri State returns to the road on Tuesday, Oct. 20 for its first-ever football game against Delaware, followed by a home contest against Sam Houston a week later on Tuesday, Oct. 27. The home showdown against the Bearkats will mark the first-ever matchup between the clubs as CUSA foes and Sam Houston’s first visit to Plaster since 2006.
A four-game November slate commences at FIU on Saturday, Nov. 7 and continues with a first-time visit from New Mexico State on Saturday, Nov. 14.
The regular season winds down with a road game at Jax State on Saturday, Nov. 21 in the Bears’ first trip to Jacksonville since 1997, and a Thanksgiving weekend home game against Liberty on Saturday, Nov. 28 to conclude the CUSA slate. It will mark Liberty’s first trip to Springfield since 1994.
The Bears will not play Middle Tennessee in 2026.
Previously announced non-conference dates include the season opener at Texas A&M (Sept. 5), the home opener against FCS Lindenwood (Sept. 12), a home return game against Marshall (Sept. 19) and a trip to Dallas on Sept. 26 to take on SMU.
A complete list of game day promotions and special events will be released at a later date.
First-year head coach Casey Woods inherits an upstart Missouri State program that finished 7-6 overall and 5-3 in CUSA in its inaugural season at the FBS level while earning a berth in the inaugural XBox Bowl in Frisco, Texas. Woods returns 61 players, 30 lettermen and eight starters from that 2025 squad.
2026 Missouri State season tickets are available now by going to MissouriStateBears.com/tickets or by calling (417) 836-7678 during box office hours.
