The Big Eight Conference was a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)-affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football. It was formed in January 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MVIAA) by its charter member schools: the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University of Nebraska, and Washington University in St. Louis. Additionally, the University of Iowa was an original member of the MVIAA, while maintaining joint membership in the Western Conference.
Justin Charles Gage is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at the University of Missouri. He was originally drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fifth round of the 2003 NFL Draft. After four seasons with the Bears, he later played another four seasons with the Tennessee Titans.
Robert Patrick Petrino is an American football coach. He currently serves as the offensive coordinator for the Arkansas Razorbacks. He is the former head coach for the Missouri State Bears. Previously, he served as the head coach of the Louisville Cardinals football team from 2014 until being fired during the 2018 season. He previously held the post from 2003 to 2006. From 2008 to 2011, Petrino was the head football coach at the University of Arkansas. He was dismissed from that position in the spring of 2012 for covering up an extramarital affair with an athletic department staffer. Petrino also coached the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL) for the first 13 games of the 2007 season. He spent the 2013 season as head football coach of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and 2020–2022 seasons as the head coach of the Missouri State Bears.
The American Professional Football League (APFL) was an indoor football league that was founded in 2003. After the 2012 season, most of the teams left to start the Champions Professional Indoor Football League. The league consisted of professional and semi-professional teams, with a few core teams that played a full 10 game schedule and other teams that played partial schedules. At the end of each season, the playoffs were contested between the league's core teams. The first few years of league play were dominated by the Kansas Koyotes, but in later years the league had more parity and more stable members, resulting in the first championship won by another team, the Iowa Blackhawks, and the first championship game not involving the Koyotes, when the Iowa Blackhawks defended their championship against the Mid-Missouri Outlaws in the 2010 APFL season. Former Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl champion Clayton Holmes played for the Kansas Koyotes and former Kansas State star QB Jonathan Beasley played for the Wichita Aviators.
William Chase Daniel is an American former quarterback who has played 14 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Missouri Tigers, earning second-team All-American honors in 2007. He was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2009. During his career, Daniel also played for the New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, and Los Angeles Chargers. Daniel is a Super Bowl champion, having been the third-string quarterback on the Saints team that won Super Bowl XLIV.
The Missouri State Bears and Lady Bears are the athletic teams representing Missouri State University. Missouri State's athletics programs date back to 1908. Missouri State competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision. The majority of sports play in the Division I Missouri Valley Conference. Missouri State football competes in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, while men's swimming & diving competes in the Mid-American Conference, and the women's beach volleyball team, nicknamed Beach Bears instead of "Bears" or "Lady Bears", will compete in Conference USA starting with the next NCAA beach volleyball season in 2023–24 after having been in the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association. Missouri State athletics are frequently abbreviated as "MOST" when televised.
Robert James Steuber was an American football halfback who played one season in National Football League (NFL) and three seasons in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC). He played college football for the Missouri Tigers, where he quickly became one of the country's most productive runners and scoring threats. He was second in the country in 1942 with more than 1,000 yards of rushing. Steuber was drafted by the NFL's Chicago Bears and played one game for the team, appearing as a substitute on September 26, 1943, in the Green Bay Packers' home opener, which ended in a 21–21 tie. The next day, Steuber entered the United States Navy and was transferred to DePauw University for pre-flight training. Despite having gone from amateur status to professional football, Steuber was allowed to return to college football six days later and led the DePauw Tigers to a 50–0 win over Illinois Normal College, rushing for 225 yards and scoring 25 points in the first half. Playing for DePauw's football team in 1943, he led the nation in scoring.
Steven Bernard Wilks is an American football coach and former player who is the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He was the head coach for the Arizona Cardinals in 2018. He has also been the defensive backs coach for the Chicago Bears and San Diego Chargers, and the defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns and Missouri.
The Missouri State Bears football program is the college football team that represents Missouri State University located in Springfield, Missouri, United States. Missouri State competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and is a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
Ronald Kainoa Fouch is an American football coach and former quarterback. He was most recently the quarterbacks coach for the Salt Lake Stallions of the Alliance of American Football (AAF). He played college football for three years at the University of Washington and then transferred to Indiana State University.
Clayton Lee Harbor is a former American football tight end and current television personality. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Missouri State. He has also been a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints.
Joseph Lee Moore, Jr. is a former American football running back. He was drafted in the first round of the 1971 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears after playing college football for Missouri.
The 2013 Missouri State Bears football team represented Missouri State University in the 2013 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by eighth-year head coach Terry Allen and played their home games at the Plaster Sports Complex. They were a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. They finished the season 5–7, 5–3 in MFVC play to finish in a four way tie for second place.
The 2013 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division II level, began on August 31, 2013, and concluded with the National Championship Game of the NCAA Division II Football Championship on December 21, 2013, at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama. This was the final championship played in Florence, after twenty-eight straight finals, before the game moves to Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kansas. The Northwest Missouri State Bearcats defeated the Lenoir–Rhyne Bears, 43–28, to win their fourth national title.
The 1937 Missouri Tigers football team was an American football team that represented the University of Missouri in the Big Six Conference during the 1937 college football season. The team compiled a 3–6–1 record, finished in fourth place in the Big 6, and was outscored by all opponents by a combined total of 64 to 42. Don Faurot was the head coach for the third of 19 seasons. The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Missouri.
The 2020 Missouri State Bears football team represented Missouri State University in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by Bobby Petrino in his first season as the program's 21st head coach. The Bears play their home games at Robert W. Plaster Stadium. They competed as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Bears won their 10th conference championship and returned the playoffs for the first time since 1990. They lost in the first round at North Dakota 44–10. Bobby Petrino won the conference coach of the year award in his first season. They finished the season ranked 13th in both Coaches and STATS poll.
The 2021 Missouri State Bears football team represented Missouri State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) for the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by second-year head coach Bobby Petrino, and played their home games at Robert W. Plaster Stadium in Springfield, Missouri. This was the Bears 115th season overall and their 36th season as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Bears came off a historic 2020 season which saw them return to the playoffs after a 30-year drought where they last made the playoffs in 1990. Entering the season the team was predicted to finish 6th in the conference. The Bears finished the regular season with an 8–3 record which was good enough for second place in the Valley and their best finish to a season since 1990. The 2021 team set and matched numerous school records. QB Jason Shelley broke several school records in total offense and passing yards. He broke the single season passing record, total offense in a game, total offense in a season, games with more than 200 passing yards and matched the record for passes completed in a game. WR Ty Scott set school records in receiving yards in a season, matched touchdown receptions in a season, and 100 yard receiving games in a season. Scott was also the first receiver in school history to eclipse a thousand receiving yards in a season. P Grant Burkett set school records in punting average in a game and punting average in a season. The Bears qualified for the playoffs for the second straight year and hosted UT- Martin in the first round. This was the first home playoff game in Springfield since 1990 when Missouri State hosted Idaho.
Eric Morris Johnson II is an American football defensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Missouri State, and was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Christian Holmes is an American football cornerback for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Missouri and Oklahoma State and was selected by the Commanders in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
The 1946 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season was the season of college football played by the six member schools of the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) as part of the 1946 college football season.
