The Missouri State Bears have canceled future football games against the Kansas State Wildcats and Kansas Jayhawks, the Springfield News-Leader has reported.
Missouri State is currently a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) in the Football Championship Subdivision. However, the Bears are moving up to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and are joining Conference USA in 2025.
Missouri State was scheduled to visit the Kansas State Wildcats on Sept. 5, 2026 in a contest that was agreed to back in 2021. The Bears, who were set to receive a $450,000 guarantee for the game, have reportedly paid around $50,000 to cancel the contest.
The Bears have also reportedly canceled their road contest against the Kansas Jayhawks that was scheduled for Sept. 4, 2027 with no cancellation fee owed. The two schools agreed to the 2027 game back in 2020 with a guarantee of $500,000.
Since Missouri State is moving up to the FBS level, it will be able to obtain single-game guarantees of $1 million and over. The Bears recently announced a new contest against the USC Trojans on Aug. 30, 2025, and the guarantee for that game is $1.15 million, according to the copy of the contract we obtained from Missouri State University.
Missouri State still has five games on its future schedules against FBS opponents that were agreed to prior to its announcement to reclassify from the FCS. Those games include Texas Tech in 2028 ($525,000), Missouri in 2029 ($550,000), Tulsa in 2030 ($400,000) and 2032 ($435,000), and Missouri again in 2032 ($550,000).
Contracts for those games will likely be amended or canceled, although there is no rush since the games are at least four years away.
Football Schedules
- Future Missouri State Football Schedules
- Future Kansas State Football Schedules
- Future Kansas Football Schedules
Missouri State Uni. Bears = a desirable Nonconference Foe for Programs in the Midwest – Plains States & Southern States who want an opponent in the Central Time Zone & not more than say 500 – 700 Miles? distance by Autowagen.
What are ya’uns take on their starting a 2nd 85 GrantsInAid Program when there’s only been 1 in their State’s University Football History?
Economically it’s a no-brainer. But from a regional interest perspective it’s a shame both neighboring Kansas schools games weren’t preserved to try to build up a inter-conference rivalry as a way to also get more Missouri St fans a chance to attend those contests. Then again, for those who can may say otherwise to a raod trip to LA.
I had high hopes that Kansas State & Missouri State would play together.
My immediate thought was to amend the contract to increase the guarantee to an FBS-level amount, however both Kansas and Kansas State already have two FBS non-conference opponents for those seasons, so I suspect they prefer to replace Missouri State with an FCS opponent for about half the cost.