Missouri State Notes & Storylines
- Missouri State concludes its inaugural season in the FBS ranks on Thursday, Dec. 18 when the Bears (7-5) take on Arkansas State (6-6) in the first-ever Xbox Bowl in Frisco, Texas. The nationally-televised game (EPSN2) will be contested at the Ford Center at The Star, the training home of the Dallas Cowboys.
- The Bears are No. 88 in this week’s CBS Sports Rankings and No, 100 on MasseyRatings.com (No. 4 in CUSA). A-State is ranked No. 101 and 108, respectively, in the same two metrics.
- Sixth-year RB Shomari Lawrence needs 36 rushing yards to become just the 11th Missouri State player to rush for 1,000 yards in a season (first since Chris Douglas, 2010). He also has 10 carries of 20+ yards this season (25th nationally).The FIU transfer has posted career highs with 183 rushes, 964 yards and 7 touchdowns at MoState this fall.
- Lawrence has rushed for a touchdown in 3 straight games, while averaging 122.0 rush yards per game over this streak. Lawrence also has 3 rushing touchdowns of 50 or more yards this season, tied with Liberty’s Evan Dickens for the most by a CUSA player. For his career (South Dakota, FIU and MoState), Lawrence has 497 career carries, 2,473 yards and 16 TDs in 49 games.
- MSU has recorded 67 explosive passing plays of 20 or more yards this season, which ranks 20th nationally.
- CB Jordan Dunbar ranks 2nd in CUSA and tied for 12th nationally in passes defended per game (1.08).
- QB Jacob Clark ranks 15th nationally in passing yards per game (263.2) and 18th in touchdowns (24). He needs 105 passing yards to reach 3,000 this season and 97 yards total offense for 3,000 — milestones achieved just twice previously at Missouri State (including both by Clark in 2024).
- Clark is Missouri State’s career leader in completion percentage (.671), pass efficiency (162.80), touchdown passes (60), and 200-yard passing games (21). He is also No. 2 on MSU’s career lists for passing yardage (7,587) and total offense list (7,671).
- MSU’s linebackers Kanye Young, Jared Lloyd and Jalen Brooks have combined for 208 tackles this season — the third-best total of any LB trio in CUSA.
- The Bears and Red Wolves will kick off a home-and-home series in 2027 with A-State’s first-ever trip to Springfield on 9/25/27. Missouri State returns the favor in Jonesboro the following season (9/16/28).
- Missouri State has played just three December games in its history — 1989 (FCS playoffs), 1948 (Mo-Kan Bowl) and 1910 (at Drury).
- The Bears rank 3rd in CUSA in total defense (384.8).
- Missouri State played in 7 games this season decided by 7 or fewer points this season. The only Conference USA team with more such games this season was CUSA runner-up Jacksonville State (8).
- A Missouri State victory would give the Bears …
- 8 wins for just the 10th time in program history, including back-to-back seasons
- First postseason victory since 1989 (FCS playoffs)
- First-ever bowl victory
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