Bears No. 5 in Athlon Preseason Football Poll

Athlon Sports FCS Preseason Top 25
 
SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State is picked fifth in the Athlon FCS Preseason Top 25 football poll released by the publication Monday in conjunction with STATS Perform.
 
The preseason ranking marks the highest national preseason poll position in Missouri State program history, topping the club’s previous high-water mark of No. 7 in 1990. On May 18, coach Bobby Petrino’s Bears were announced as the No. 6 pick in the Hero Sports Preseason Top 25.
 
The Athlon Top 25 features five Missouri Valley Football Conference programs, including the Bears at No. 5, North Dakota State (1), South Dakota State (2), Southern Illinois (7), and Northern Iowa (21).
 
Petrino returns 42 lettermen and 14 starters from an 8-4 club that finished as MVFC runners-up (6-2) in his second season at the helm, while advancing to the NCAA FCS playoffs for the second straight season.
 
The Bears return the 2021 MVFC Offensive Player of the Year and MVFC Newcomer of the Year in quarterback Jason Shelley who shattered club records for passing yards (3,347), total offense (3,789) and completions (235). He is joined by fellow All-MVFC returnees Tyrone Scott (WR), Kevin Ellis (DL), Montrae Braswell (DB and RS), Grant Burkett (P), Landon Bebee (OL), Jose Pizano (K) and Kyriq McDonald (DB). Braswell, Burkett, Pizano, Scott and long snapper Caden Bolz also earned All-America honors from various agencies in 2021.
 
For season ticket information, please contact Duane Miller at (417) 836-8899, or via email to DuaneMiller@MissouriState.edu.