DALLAS – Conference USA released its 2025 Preseason Watch List Friday (July 18), as selected by the league’s 12 head coaches. Five student-athletes from each of the conference’s 12 member institutions are recognized as key players to watch ahead of the 2025 season.
Missouri State’s honorees are:
QB Jacob Clark
WR Jmariyae Robinson
DL Davon Townley Jr.
OL Cash Hudson
PK Yousef Obeid
Clark finished 14th in Walter Payton Award (FCS Offensive Player of the Year) voting last season while earning first-team All-MVFC honors. He finished third in the MVFC Offensive Player of the Year voting and wrapped the 2024 season 262-of-376 (.697) passing for 3,604 yards, 26 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, 169.8 efficiency and 3,608 yards of total offense, starting all 12 games. In the final FCS national stats, he ranked second in the nation in yards per pass attempt (9.59), fourth in pass efficiency (169.8), fourth in passing yards per game (300.3), sixth in passing yards (3,604), sixth in completion percentage (.697), sixth in total offense (300.7) and 11th in touchdown passes (26). Clark led the MVFC in completions per game, passing yards, passing yards per game and total offense; and was second in completion percentage, pass efficiency, passing touchdowns and yards per completion. The MSU co-captain was a four-time MVFC Offensive Player of the Week after wins over Lindenwood (9/14/24), Youngstown State (9/28/24), Illinois State (10/12/24) and Murray State (11/9/24) and broke Missouri State single-season record for passing yards (3,604), completions (262) and touchdowns (26).
Robinson hauled in 38 receptions for 585 yards and four touchdowns in 12 games last season, in addition eight carries for 47 yards and three rushing touchdowns. The sophomore standout posted three 100-yard receiving games in 2024, averaging 15.39 yards per reception which was sixth in the MVFC and 69th nationally. He also ranked 11th in the MVFC in receiving yards (585), 11th in receiving yards per game (48.8), 13th in receiving touchdowns (4) and 15th in receptions per game (3.2). Robinson earned the MSU Offensive Grinder Award for the team’s road win at Murray State (11/9/24) after hauling in 6 catches for 123 yards and a 44-yard touchdown reception. Likewise, he had 102 yards on a season-high seven receptions at Ball State (9/7/24) with a 14-yard TD reception and a 3-yard rushing TD. He was a Freshman All-American in 2023.
Townley played in all 12 games in his first season at Missouri State in 2024, finishing with 13 total tackles, four solos, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and a pair of QB hurries. He earned MSU Defensive Grinder of the Game for the Bears’ win at Northern Iowa (10/26/24) with a season-high three tackles, 1.5 TFLs and a half sack. He posted a pair of assisted stops in his MSU debut at No. 3 Montana (8/31/24) and brought down a pair of ball carriers in the season finale vs. South Dakota State (11/23/24) with a solo stop and a QB hurry. The Penn State transfer also provided sack support in home wins over Lindenwood (9/14/24) and Youngstown State (9/28/24).
Hudson earned second-team All-MVFC offensive lineman honors as a sophomore in 2024, starting 11 games at center. He was named MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week (10/28/24) after MSU’s win over Northern Iowa. He finished the season with a 96 percent assignment grade, 92 percent effort grade and 88 percent technique grade from the coaching staff. He and his o-line squad helped the Bears eclipse 5,000 total yards and 400 points for just the fourth time in team history while producing the third-most first downs (259) in Bears history. He was a vital part of the No. 4 passing offense in the nation (306.2 ypg) and No. 4 team in FCS in pass efficiency (169.98). Hudson was a Freshman All-American in 2023.
Obeid was named as a Freshman All-America selection by Stats Perform, Phil Steele, and FCS Football Central last season in his collegiate debut. He finished 53-of-54 on extra points and 11-for-12 on field goals in 2024 and averaged 57.8 yards on 75 kickoffs with 23 touchbacks. Obeid ranked third nationally and first in the MVFC in field goal percentage (.917) and finished fifth in the MVFC and 55th in the FCS ranks in field goals per game (0.92). Likewise, his scoring average (7.2) ranked sixth in The Valley and 36th nationally. The Michigan State transfer also ranked 13th in the MVFC in points responsible for per game (7.2) and 18th in total points responsible for (86).
A complete list of CUSA Preseason Watch List honorees is below.
The Conference USA slate opens in a premier Week Zero slot on Saturday, Aug. 23, with WKU hosting Sam Houston at 6 p.m. CT on CBS Sports Network. The league’s 21st Conference USA Football Championship Game is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 5.
Conference USA’s Football Kickoff is Tuesday, July 22 in Frisco, Texas with featured content on ESPN+ and Missouri State social media platforms.
OFFENSE
QB Keyone Jenkins, FIU
QB Dexter Williams, Kennesaw State
QB Nicholas Vattiato, MTSU
QB Jacob Clark, Missouri State
QB Logan Fife, NM State
QB Maverick McIvor, WKU
RB Cam Cook, Jax State
RB Hahsaun Wilson, UTEP
WR Jmariyae Robinson, Missouri State
WR Michael Phoenix II, Sam Houston
TE Jacob Jenkins, Liberty
OL Fintan Brose, Delaware
OL Anwar O’neal, Delaware
OL Jaheim Buchanon, FIU
OL Bubba Grayson, Jax State
OL Nikola Milovac, Kennesaw State
OL DJ Geth, Liberty
OL Hayden Christman, LA Tech
OL Landon Nelson, LA Tech
OL Ellis Adams, MTSU
OL Cash Hudson, Missouri State
OL BJ Tolo, NM State
OL James Dawn II, Sam Houston
OL Mark Robinson, UTEP
OL Marshall Jackson, WKU
DEFENSE
DL Kenton Simmons, FIU
DL Talan Carter, Jax State
DL Marcus Patterson, Kennesaw State
DL Bryce Dixon, Liberty
DL Anthony Bynum, MTSU
DL Davon Townley Jr., Missouri State
DL Gabe Peterson, NM State
DL Zeiqui Lawton, Sam Houston
DL Derek Burns, UTEP
DL Harper Holloman, WKU
LB Gavin Moul, Delaware
LB Kolbe Fields, LA Tech
LB Parker Hughes, MTSU
LB Tyler Martinez, NM State
LB Micah Davey, UTEP
DB KT Seay, Delaware
DB Brian Blades II, FIU
DB Trevor Woods, Jax State
DB JeRico Washington Jr., Kennesaw State
DB A’Khori Jones, Liberty
DB Cedric Woods, LA Tech
DB Emon Allen, Sam Houston
DB Demarko Williams, WKU
SPECIAL TEAMS
K Nate Reed, Delaware
K Garrison Rippa, Jax State
K Yousef Obeid, Missouri State
K RJ Lopez, Sam Houston
P Max Morgan, Liberty
P Noah Botsford, UTEP
P Cole Maynard, WKU
KR C’Quan Jnopierre, FIU
KR Jekail Middlebrook, MTSU
KR/PR TK King, NM State
PR Gabriel Benyard, Kennesaw State
YOUR BEARS
Missouri State enters its first season in Conference USA and the NCAA’s FBS classification in 2025. Coach Ryan Beard begins his third season at the helm after finishing the 2024 campaign with an 8-4 overall record and a 6-2 ledger in the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) to finish one game behind the league’s tri-champions. Last season, the Bears landed 12 all-conference players and won eight straight games from Sept. 14 to Nov. 9 while riding the shoulders of standout QB Jacob Clark to eclipse 5,000 total yards, 400 points and 3,600 passing yards in their final season in the FCS ranks.
