1996 Southwest Missouri State Bears football team

1996 Southwest Missouri State Bears football
Conference	Gateway Football Conference
Record	7–4 (3–2 GFC)
Head coach	Del Miller (2nd season)
Home stadium	Plaster Sports Complex
Seasons ←  1995 1997  →

1996 Gateway Football Conference standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 3 Northern Iowa $^		5	–	0					12	–	2
No. 10 Western Illinois ^		3	–	2					9	–	3
No. 21 Southwest Missouri State		3	–	2					7	–	4
Indiana State		3	–	2					6	–	5
Southern Illinois		1	–	4					5	–	6
Illinois State		0	–	5					3	–	8
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network poll

The 1996 Southwest Missouri State Bears football team represented Southwest Missouri State University (now known as Missouri State University) as a member of the Gateway Football Conference (GFC) during the 1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by second-year head coach Del Miller, the Bears compiled an overall record of 7–4, with a mark of 3–2 in conference play, and finished tied for second in the GFC.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
August 31	at Oklahoma State *		Lewis Field Stillwater, OK	L 20–23 OT	33,500	[1]
September 7	at No. 3 McNeese State *	No. 21	Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA	W 12–7	14,059	[2]
September 14	Truman State *	No. 14	Plaster Sports Complex Springfield, MO	W 44–13	15,097	[3]
September 21	at Tennessee–Martin *	No. 10	Graham Stadium Martin, TN	W 39–7		[4]
September 28	Jacksonville State *	No. 8	Plaster Sports Complex Springfield, MO	W 34–9	13,061	[5]
October 5	Southern Illinois	No. 7	Plaster Sports Complex Springfield, MO	W 24–17	14,906	[6]
October 19	at No. 3 Northern Iowa	No. 5	UNI-Dome Cedar Falls, IA	L 31–38	14,727	[7]
October 26	at Illinois State	No. 9	Hancock Stadium Normal, IL	W 24–13	9,552	[8]
November 2	No. 13 Western Illinois	No. 7	Plaster Sports Complex Springfield, MO	L 17–23	15,878	[9]
November 9	No. 23 Youngstown State *	No. 14	Plaster Sports Complex Springfield, MO	L 13–17	6,963	[10]
November 16	at Indiana State	No. 20	Memorial Stadium Terre Haute, IN	W 27–12		[11]
*Non-conference game Rankings from The Sports Network Poll released prior to the game

^[12]

References

1. "Cardiac Cowboys escape Bears". The Daily Oklahoman. September 1, 1996. Retrieved June 30, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
2. "SMS scraps past McNeese". The Springfield News-Leader. September 8, 1996. Retrieved June 30, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
3. "Explosive SMS offense rolls over Truman State". The Springfield News-Leader. September 15, 1996. Retrieved June 30, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
4. "Southwest Missouri State stops Skyhawks". The Jackson Sun. September 22, 1996. Retrieved June 30, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
5. "Cannon fire fells JSU". The Anniston Star. September 29, 1996. Retrieved June 30, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
6. "SIU can't get Cosey". Southern Illinoisan. October 6, 1996. Retrieved June 30, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
7. "Strong start saves UNI". The Des Moines Register. October 20, 1996. Retrieved June 30, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
8. "ISU threatens Southwest, then stumbles again". The Pantagraph. October 27, 1996. Retrieved June 30, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
9. "Hecklinski, Western topple SW Missouri". The Pantagraph. November 3, 1996. Retrieved June 30, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
10. "Offensive woes sink Bears". The Springfield News-Leader. November 10, 1996. Retrieved June 30, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
11. "Southwest Missouri State ruins ISU's playoff chances". The Indianapolis Star. November 17, 1996. Retrieved June 30, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
12. "Missouri State Football 2023 Media Guide" (PDF). Missouri State University Athletics. p. 65. Retrieved June 30, 2024.