MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY
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Bears topple Thundering Herd
First FBS win since 1990 First win in CUSA era Home opener up next...
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A note from the editor Classes are in full swing, grades are hitting the books and Missouri State football is back. The Missouri State Campus seems busier, louder and more excited than ever to see the Maroon and White return to Plaster Stadium. After over a year of anticipation, the Football Bears are finally members of Conference USA and the Football Bowl Subdivision. The team had a disappointing kickoff to the new era, losing 73-13 to the University of Southern California Trojans, but quickly turned things around with the first win against an FBS opponent since 1990 when they defeated the Marshall University Thundering Herd On the cover: A Missouri State football helmet sits 21-20 on Sept. 6. on the sideline of the gridiron at the Now, the team heads home to Springfield Los Angeles Coliseum before the to take on the 1-1 Southern Methodist Bears’ season opener against USC. University Mustangs. With an FBS era win under their belt, who knows if they Photo by Jesse Scheve, have what it takes to topple a big name MSU Creative Services like the Mustangs.
Cover design by Jayden Pettus
What we do know is that this issue has been crafted with the intentions of getting YOU, the reader, excited for the rest of the season. So enjoy and Go Bears! Jayden Pettus, Editor-in-Chief
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is Missouri State University’s student-produced newspaper. The university has not approved and is not responsible for its content, which is produced and edited by the students on The Standard staff.
Reed reporter Standard staff Isabella Rylie Robinson reporter Jamie Santner sports reporter Editors Jayden Pettus editor-in-chief Ella Conklin campus administration editor Ava Gorton campus activities editor Maddux Radosevic sports editor Alyssa Roney arts and culture editor Reporters and visual artists Brooke Benne reporter Makanaka Bgoni reporter W. Paul Bohlen sports reporter Emmy Crawford illustrator KC Culbertson sports reporter Elizabeth Dedert sports reporter Elise Dust reporter Tabitha Easterwood photographer Robin Garner reporter Lily Hale reporter Matthew Huff photographer Spencer Justice photographer Ruby Knight reporter Jorja Laguschulte reporter Hunter Meacheam reporter Ayricka Pointer reporter
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Photo by Jesse Scheve, MSU Creative Services After falling to the University of Southern California Trojans 73-13 just a week earlier, the Missouri State football team showed its grit and determination by defeating the Marshall Thundering Herd 21-20.
Football Bears collect first win of FBS era W. PAUL BOHLEN Senior Sports Reporter Dwpbohlen
In the squad’s second game of the 2025 season, the Missouri State University football team returned from a 13-point deficit to defeat the Marshall University Thundering Herd 21-20. In an upset where the Bears put together one of their best defensive performances in recent history, they secured their first win in their time in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). 35 years. That’s how long ago Missouri State last beat an FBS opponent. It was the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and it was 31-24, by the way. That was, at least, until Saturday night. The Bears weren’t favored to win at Marshall, though an upset is may-
be not the right way to describe it. The Herd haven’t been off to a great start, and having a mostly new coaching staff and team has been difficult. Still, it’s a huge thing for the Maroon and White. Senior quarterback Jacob Clark — who seems statue-bound at this point — surpassed 5,000 passing yards in his MSU career against Marshall on a third quarter, 52-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Jmariyae Robinson. Besides that, he looked like his old self for the most part. A couple of the little nervous bits from last week’s game reappeared, but, in the game as a whole, he showed why he deserves so many people lauding him as perhaps the best QB the school has ever seen. Clark was back to high passing
numbers and good throws, with 359 passing yards across his 21 of 31 completed throws en route to three touchdowns and only one interception. He even had chances to get creative with his efforts. Together with senior running back Reggie Branch II, he made a play where he took the snap, tossed it left to Branch II who then lateralled it back to Clark taking on a sort of wide receiver role and running it several yards for a first down. In his career at Missouri State, Clark was a net rusher of 51 yards, with a rough total of four in 2024. In the game against Marshall, Clark rushed for a gain of 30 yards, the second most on the team. Senior running back Shomari Lawrence led the team in rushing,
though he was targeted by the Herd’s defense so heavily that he wasn’t able to get much done, finishing with only 49 yards gained and no touchdowns. Sophomore running back Ramone Green Jr. led the team in receiving yards with 129. His longest reception went for 57 yards and a touchdown in the second quarter to get the Bears on the board first. Robinson made his 14th career touchdown to start the Bears’ comeback in the third quarter, and a touchdown to redshirt freshman tight end Jeron Askren secured it. For the young Bear, the reception gave him his first TD in the maroon and white. The PAT from sophomore kicker Yousef Obeid sealed the win at 21-20, redeeming himself from a missed 40yard field goal that appeared to be the point in the third quarter when the
Bears were going to fall apart. Above all the offense, the Bears’ D-line was the highlight of the show and certainly has to instill a lot of hope for the future of the season. MSU allowed the Herd to go only 3-15 on third down, while the Bears went 7-16. It’s not a lot, but seeing their defense from last season and the game last week, it’s a marked difference.
Game recap
Missouri State started its second FBS game in a similar way to the first. The offense couldn’t find its way to first downs, and the line couldn’t get Clark enough room to make his plays really happen. Unlike the first game, the defense managed to force Marshall to punt on fourth-and-11 thanks in large part
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BOX
1st
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3rd
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FINAL
Missouri State
0 0
7 17
7 3
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Marshall to redshirt senior Thomas Anderson. The cornerback put a good hit on wide receiver Jakolbe Baldwin, a fellow redshirt senior, to slash the hopes of a pass from redshirt junior quarterback Zion Turner. Clark got out of the gate doing it all himself for the most part. When he had an opening, he took it and ran the ball himself. Unfortunately for him, on the Bears’ second drive, a foul that led to a 15-yard penalty stymied a ten-yard scramble by the QB. Three plays later, senior punter Anthony Frederique finally got to show his mettle as the Bears’ new punter sent his kick 34 yards. With the punt downed by junior running back Connor Lair, the Bears forced a long trot on the Herd’s next drive from the Marshall 7-yard line. Punt after punt, the Herd had one more, then, the Bears finally started to show some of what they can do. After good defense, good defense needed to follow. Clark completed a 20-yard pass to Robinson for a big gain, but penalties ended up coming from senior offensive lineman Erick Cade. That took a field goal from Obeid’s record as he made a 49-yarder but had to redo it at 54 yards which was just slightly too much. The Herd came back out with nothing on the board and fewer than three minutes left in the quarter. Near the end of the first quarter, the Bears gained a first down thanks to an 18-yard pass from Clark to freshman wide receiver Tristian Gardner. Though it looked like it’d end in yet another punt, the Bears — at thirdand-12 — managed to make a connection. With Clark pursued heavily, he headed for the sidelines and lobbed a pass to Green Jr. who made the long dash along the very edge to the Thun-
dering Herd endzone and scored. After the PAT, the Bears led 7-0. Seemingly inspired by the Bears’ TD, the Herd’s redshirt junior running back Jo’Shon Barbie got it going with a 28-yard gain. Then, after a few small gains, Turner took it into the endzone himself, leading Marshall to eventually tie the game. Carrying forward, the Bears loosened up a bit on Marshall, but not enough to give them an easy go of it. After a third down, the Herd gained a first when a receiver was taken down mid-catch. A false start cut them back to second-and-8 and then a third-and-8, but they broke free soon after. The drive ended with another Marshall TD and extra point. 14-7 Herd. On the Bears’ following drive, Clark was intercepted — his third of the season, something he doesn’t have happen to him regularly — and the Herd returned it for 34 yards on the play thanks to redshirt senior defensive back Marvae Myers. MSU managed to force Marshall to fourth down, but the Herd’s Irishman, freshman kicker Lorcan Quinn, made the 50-yard field goal, 17-7 with less than a minute to go in the first half. Clark made some good rushes on his own once more, but a sack ended the half. MSU’s second offensive play in the third quarter featured a large 30yard gain on a pass to Robinson, but it was erased by a rare offensive pass interference penalty on senior wide receiver Dash Luke. The Bears ended up at third-and-26. Lawrence was able to gain five yards on the next carry, but it was not nearly enough. On the punt that followed, Marshall’s senior wide receiver Demarcus Lacey returned it 41 yards to the Bears’ 19.
Marshall extended the lead to 13-points with another field goal from Quinn, but the Bears didn’t leave those points unanswered for long. Clark completed a 52-yard pass to Robinson who made it in to score and steal the momentum from the Thundering Herd. 20-14 after the PAT. The Herd tried to fake a punt on their next drive, but it was stopped by the Bears right away. The Bears’ D-line stayed as good as it’s looked in a long, long time. Clark kept proving himself as a strong rusher, something he hasn’t been known for, as he and Branch II threw it back and forth from just outside the red zone. Clark ran it all the way to the Marshall three. Redshirt junior linebacker Javae Gilmore of Marshall forced a fumble, which was recovered by sophomore offensive lineman Ebubedike Nnabugwu. The Bears, afflicted by penalties, had perhaps their worst foul of the game when senior wide receiver Makai Cope was called for pass interference as Robinson found his way into the corner of the endzone. Briefly, the scoreboard showed MSU tied at 20 all, but a loss of 15 yards made them try again. Clark was run off the field, and then, the field goal was missed by Obeid, only his third miss in his career. What should have been the Bears taking the lead was all for naught thanks to reckless penalties and bad openings. As the Bears’ offense came back out for its next drive, they just couldn’t make it happen. Then, the defense started showing some signs of tiredness. Turner managed to rush it all the way to the MSU 35, but a holding penalty saved the Bears. Still, the next play led to a big push
that took far too long for the Bears to take down. A major throw to redshirt junior tight end Toby Payne sparked a lot of fear for Missouri State’s future in the game as he caught the 26-yard pass that he took to the MSU 17. A broken-up pass in the endzone held it off for a moment. What followed, though the Bears didn’t know it yet, would pave the way to their victory in Huntington. Quinn came to kick a 26-yard field goal, a kick so close and routine it should have been the nail in the coffin for the ambitious Missouri State hopeful in the game. But he plunked it off the uprights, and the call was no good. The ball went back to the Bears. No harm done. The Bears seemed prepared with less than five minutes to play as a third-and-14 ensued due to yet one more penalty, but Green Jr. caught a pass from Clark and made it to the Marshall 18 for a gain of 55 yards. Three plays later, Missouri State took the lead at last as Clark made the left pass to Askren who took the short run from the 8-yard line to the Herd’s endzone. The PAT made the score 21-20 Bears. As they sensed a chance at victory with two minutes nearing, the Bears held Marshall back all the way to fourth-and-7. Then, senior linebacker Kanye Young intercepted it with only 30 yards to go. The Bears ran the ball for their final drive, getting within scoring distance off a carry from Lawrence to the Marshall 5. But, in the end, they opted for the victory formation, and Clark took a knee.
several. Though no, they are not likely to win their next showing, their home opener against Southern Methodist University, they are equally unlikely to lose the rest of their FBS games. 4-8, 5-7, even 6-6 or 7-5 are, at the level of play we saw against Marshall, frankly, entirely possible. They have the offense. We’ve known that much. We’ve known that much for a while. But now, it really looks like they have the defense to hold it up, and that’s — literally — game changing. It’s going to take whatever grit and determination they had against Marshall to stick around, whether it was the realization that FBS is here to stay or the sheer annoyance at losing as badly as they did in week one. Defensive coordinator L.D. Scott’s group can really pull off some big impact in the future if they just keep hitting hard like they did this weekend. They were sharpshooters – a team laser-focused and mentally there. The stops they got were common and clean and absolutely what the future of Missouri State Football needs to invest its effort in. They’ll all get another big test next weekend as the Bears finally come home for the Springfield opener as they take on the Southern Methodist University Mustangs. Tickets are still available, and students get in free with their BearPasses. For more information on Missouri State Athletics’ new clear bag policy, see our article on page six. The SMU game kicks off on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 2:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the CBS Sports In retrospect Network and on the radio on the MisThe Bears can win a football game souri State Radio Network where at the FBS level. legendary broadcaster Art Hains will In fact, they can probably win call his final game.
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Missouri State Athletics introduces new bag policy W. PAUL BOHLEN Senior Sports Reporter Dwpbohlen
Along with all the sweeping changes at Missouri State University this year, a new bag policy was unveiled earlier this month before the semester began. With the number of games occurring each week ramping up, let’s break down what that means for you trying to get into a game and support the Bears. The school introduced a clear bag policy on Aug. 1 under the stead of the late executive director of Athletic and Entertainment Facilities Keith Boaz who passed away on Aug. 6. “This will be a new process for everyone this year, so it is important that our patrons and fans plan accordingly to ensure their experience on event days is a positive one,” Boaz said. “Ultimately, enhancing our venue infrastructure with this policy will help keep Missouri State as a premier sports and entertainment destination.” Under the new policy, bags which will be allowed into Plaster Stadium (football), Great Southern Bank Arena (basketball), Betty and Bobby Allison South Stadium (soccer) and Hammons Student Center (volleyball, swimming and diving, acrobatics and tumbling, and STUNT) must be included in the following list. Bags allowed into events include clear bags no larger than 12 inches tall, 12 inches wide, and six inches deep; one-gallon clear plastic freezer bags; clutch purses no larger than 5.5 inches tall and 7.5 inches wide; and medically necessary bags, containers, and items, but these must be inspected at a designated entrance before admission is allowed. Attendants can carry in other items such as binoculars or non-professional cameras, but the cases for these items will not be allowed inside. Seat cushions will also be allowed, no larger than 16 inches by 16 inches, and these cannot be cushions with arms, pockets or metal parts. Diaper bags will not be allowed, instead, attendants are recommended to use the above-mentioned clear bag to carry essential childcare items. Notably, Hammons Field (baseball), Killian Sports Complex (softball), Cooper Tennis Complex and Ozark Beach Volleyball already have separate bag policies which can be found on their respective websites. Per the clear bag policy found on MissouriStateBears.com, the full list of prohibited items includes the following:
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With the new regulations, bags must be no larger than 12 inches tall, 12 inches wide and six inches deep. Alcohol, all non-clear bags, non-service animal pets, items which impair the view of others, artificial noisemakers, backpacks, balloons, beach balls, binocular and camera cases, bottles, cans, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vapes, confetti, containers of any kind including coolers or thermoses, drones, fanny packs larger than 5.5 inches by 7.5 inches, flags, flagpoles, flowers, folding chairs, gifts, illegal drugs, laser pointers, luggage, metal water bottles (squeezable bottles are allowed, but they must be empty at entrance), outside food and drink, projectiles such as footballs or frisbees, seat cushions with any metal elements or pockets or arm rests or backs, strollers, tripods, umbrellas, video cameras, professional cameras, weapons, and any items deemed dangerous by game management staff. For more information regarding game attendance, visit MissouriStateBears.com. For information regarding the football game experience at Plaster Stadium, visit https://www. missouristate.edu/PlasterStadium/policies.htm.
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FBS Bears set to take on SMU in home opener W. PAUL BOHLEN Senior Sports Reporter Dwpbohlen After pulling off a surprise win over Marshall University last weekend, Missouri State University’s football program is 1-1 heading into its home opener – something it couldn’t say last year before joining the Football Bowl Subdivision. This weekend, they face a monumental opponent: the Southern Methodist University Mustangs, a team with a brilliant football past but lingering scars. The Mustangs have returned to the ranks of giants, and now they’re coming to Springfield, Missouri, to the Bears’ humble Robert W. Plaster Stadium.
The Defensive Bears
Missouri State Football’s defeat of the Marshall Thundering Herd came as a shock, not just because they outscored them, but because they outdefended them. Senior linebacker Kanye Young, redshirt junior linebacker Jared Lloyd, redshirt senior cornerback Thomas Anderson, sophomore safety Christian Ford and sophomore defensive lineman Mitchell Toney all made great stops at least once last weekend. For a team whose defense has so often been the reason for losses, this turnaround in seemingly just a week is miraculous. If they can sustain it, they can go as far as they want. Speaking of going far, senior quarterback Jacob Clark surpassed 5,000 passing yards in his maroon and white career last weekend. For his time at MSU, the Texan now sits at a career total of 5,200 yards with 374 completed passes on 547 attempts, totalling 40 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. The Bears’ running backs haven’t found a new standout like Jacardia Wright or Jayden Becks from last season. But sophomore Ramone Green Jr., junior Connor Lair, and seniors Reggie Branch II and newcomer Shomari Lawrence all showed they have a good running back room
building up. Receivers and tight ends are also looking good after Marshall. Junior wide receiver Jmariyae Robinson showed why the Bears are grateful he stayed this season with a 52-yard touchdown reception to help advance MSU. Green Jr. also showed his talent as a receiver in addition to rushing while a tight end, redshirt freshman Jeron Askren, sealed the Bears’ last win. Missouri State seems to have a lot going this season, rebounding well from their loss to the University of Southern California. They beat a team from a conference ranked slightly higher in the Group of Five than Conference USA, in a game that delivered suspense, quality play and a sweet victory.
Meet the 2025 SMU Mustangs
The Mustangs, 2024 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship runners-up, are led by fourth-year head coach Rhett Lashlee, an Ozarker from Springdale, Arkansas, who cut his teeth playing quarterback for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks in the early 2000s. Previously an offensive coordinator at several other schools, Lashlee became a head coach for the first time in 2022, when he started for SMU. He currently has a head coaching record of 30-13. Leading his team on the field is signal caller redshirt junior quarterback Kevin Jennings, entering his fourth season with the Mustangs. Jennings has yet to surpass 5,000 passing yards but is likely to accomplish that feat soon this season. In 28 games for the Mustangs — nine more than Clark for the Bears — Jennings has added up 4,623 passing yards off a completion record of 363-559 for 34 TDs and 15 interceptions. He can’t find that success without some good scorers, however, and he absolutely has that in players like senior running back TJ Harden who scored three touchdowns in the Mustangs’ close battle against Baylor University last week.
Photo by Jesse Scheve, MSU Creative Services Missouri State head coach Ryan Beard celebrates with sophomore kicker Yousef Obeid after a converted field goal attempt against the USC Trojans on Saturday, Aug. 30. The young kicker is currently performing at a 50% clip; he’s gone 2-for-4 so far this season.
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Photo by Jesse Scheve, MSU Creative Services The Missouri State Bears enter the field to take on the USC Trojans on Saturday, Aug. 30. The team lost 73-13, but collected its first touchdown at the FBS level when graduate QB Jacob Clark connected with freshman WR Tristian Gardner for a 33-yard score. Harden, who is a recent addition to the team, played three seasons before this campaign with the University of California, Los Angeles. Redshirt senior wide receiver Romello Brinson has been a staple for the team, with 2025 marking his third season at SMU. Brinson totals 813 receiving yards on 52 receptions for five TDs. His longest career reception came last week at 75 yards. He’s also scored in both games this season, once at East Texas A&M University and twice against Baylor. Also scoring for the Mustangs in both their games so far was freshman wide receiver Jalen Cooper who recorded a touchdown in both appearances. Like Brinson, his longest reception was 75 yards. SMU also has a strong wall of a D-line, which the Bears are going to have to battle to get through. Led by guys like junior linebacker Brandon Miyazono and safeties redshirt senior Isaiah Nwokobia and senior Ahmaad Moses, who is a strong returner himself, SMU has plenty of firepower to challenge the strong arm of the Bears’ QB1.
Matchup history
This is yet another week with no matchup history to discuss: the Bears have never played the Mustangs. This makes the Mustangs’ trip to Springfield even more notable and should set up an exciting game, regardless of the outcome. Though the Mustangs are heavily favored, the Bears lost only once on home soil last season, giving them a slight advantage in that regard. With the second Power Four team facing the Bears in just three weeks, MSU continues to look to the future when that might not be so rare of an occurrence each season.
Challenges along the way
From what we saw when the Bears played USC, the biggest thing they need to improve on is their passing against the pressure of big, tough, Power Four hitters. Multiple times in that game, we saw Clark toss it right into traffic. Meanwhile, he had open receivers along the edges who he didn’t try for. The O-line also faltered against both USC and Marshall. In both contests — but especial-
ly the USC game — they struggled to protect Clark, allowing several sacks. Not only do the Bears need to limit this so they can get first downs and hopefully score, but they also need to avoid an injury that ends Clark’s collegiate career prematurely. He is the team’s biggest hope for the season and needs to stay as long as he can. Last week in Huntington, the Bears racked up one penalty after another, with several coming from the offensive line. Those need to stop immediately. The Bears can’t make progress with as many false starts and pass interference fouls as they committed against Marshall. The defense, usually the focal point in these “challenges” breakdowns, earns just one comment this week: keep it up. They held off the attacks of the Thundering Herd brilliantly, forcing them to earn every point they scored. That kind of defense from the Bears needs to stick around. MSU makes its FBS home debut on Saturday, Sept. 13, kicking off at 2:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the CBS Sports Network and on the Missouri State Radio Network, hosted by Art Hains for the final time.
THREE HOME GAMES IN SEPTEMBER SATURDAY, SEPT 13 VS SMU SATURDAY, SEPT 20 VS UT MARTIN SATURDAY, SEPT 27 VS WKU Students get in free Purchase tickets at missouristatetix.com
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Photo by Jayden Pettus, Qjpettus_media Athletics director Patrick Ransdell says that Lot 24 is “double the size” of the previous tailgate location, allowing for more attendance and space for tailgate activities.
Student tailgating location, parking procedures change in preparation of home football schedule MADDUX RADOSEVIC Sports Editor DRadosevicMaddux On Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, Missouri State University announced student tailgating and parking changes for all six football games held at Robert W. Plaster Stadium this season. For MSU scholars, the most notable adjustment involves the school moving the location of the pregame student tailgate. Nestled in the courtyard of Freudenberger House ever since construction on Roy Blunt Hall commenced before the 2023 season, the student tailgate now shifts to Lot 24 on the south side of East Grand Street across the road from the venue. As for the community, the most impactful alteration entails the removal of some of the free parking zones surrounding the stadium, including Bear Park South and Lot 20 north of Strong Hall.
However, much of the discussion on campus has revolved around the shift of the student tailgate. Interestingly enough, this change is not the first modification MSU has made to the location of this event. “There’s pretty much no place it hasn’t been yet,” said University Safety Director Robert Rowley. Prior to its time in the courtyard of Freudenberger, the student tailgate made stops adjacent to Strong Hall, Carrington Hall and the new destination of Lot 24. Rowley and Director of Athletics Patrick Ransdell described the setup by the second oldest residence hall on campus as a “temporary” solution to the problem during the development of campus’ newest building beside the stadium. With construction of Blunt Hall coming to a halt, the athletics, safety, transportation, student affairs and residence life departments discussed where the student tailgate should go next. According to Rowley, that de-
cision was not an easy one to make. “Unfortunately, there just wasn’t a perfect area for it,” he said. Although the decision makers may not have reached a consensus on where the “perfect area” would be for the event, they certainly seemed to agree on where the proceedings should not go. “Nobody really had really, really strong opinions against it being in any of the locations that were being discussed with the exception that the worst option was leaving it in the (Freudenberger) courtyard,” he said. Ransdell agreed. “Our student affairs did not really want to have that location along with public safety,” Ransdell said. “Because it was a tight area, you really, if there was an emergency, it was just really hard to get people out if there was a need to get people out because it kind of bottlenecks on two ends.” In addition to safety concerns, Ransdell and Rowley pointed out that
residents of Freudenberger had to deal with the sound of music blaring when the event echoed outside their living space. The powers that be wanted to show sensitivity to these students. As a result, the committee concurred to transfer the tailgate to a space that Ransdell says is “double the size” of the spot outside Freudenberger – Lot 24. He not only says the area is larger, but he also says the tunnel that undercuts East Grand Street that will lead students to the game is closer to the main attraction than the previous site is. “If you start from the top of the tunnel to the student section, it’s actually shorter than (Freudenberger),” Ransdell says. Another reason the athletic director likes the move is because, in his mind, he hopes the new location will inspire more students to attend the games, not just the tailgates. Rather than setting the scholars up closer to their residence halls or apartments,
Ransdell appreciates the idea of having the students walk past the stadium before deciding to leave the site. “You have to walk past the student section to go home,” he said. “So, hopefully, they will walk to the student section and go in.” Despite the strategic planning and deliberation from the university to make this call, some students do not approve of the change. In fact some are livid. Irate. Flabbergasted. On Instagram, Barstool Mo State voiced its displeasure of the decision by posting, “We need to start an uprising and stop that.” Others have made their perspectives heard around the campus by questioning the safety of students crossing the busy, bustling East Grand Street to get to the game. To that, Rowley keeps his advice short and sweet: “Don’t walk across Grand.” Rowley and Ransdell encourage students to proceed to the stadium by using the tunnel that runs below the
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Photo by Jayden Pettus The new tailgate location will be in Lot 24 on the south side of Plaster Stadium, across East Grand Street. road filled with passing vehicles. To help facilitate this occurrence, Rowley mentioned the possibility of putting up “partial tin fencing” encompassing Lot 24 to ensure the most feasible way to advance to the stadium is by entering the tunnel. For Ransdell, the safety of the scholars remains paramount. “We always want to anticipate like the worst case scenario,” he said. However, Ransdell also explained he is willing to adjust the plan if it doesn’t work right out of the gate. “Hopefully, it works,” he said. “And, the best part about all of it is if we feel like something isn’t working or we’re getting some good feedback, then we can always make adjustments.” Some other adjustments Ransdell discussed include clarifying the parking situation so there is “less ambiguity.” Now, the lots south of East Bear Boulevard will include paid lots and donor parking for football attendees. “If you took that road and went south toward the football stadium, those parking lots are now kind of football generated parking lots,” Ransdell said. In these lots, Ransdell plans to have staff members distributing information about Plaster Stadium’s clear bag policy and rules regarding bringing certain items into the venue. With this action, Ransdell hopes to prevent a situation
THE STANDARD where a fan would need to go back to his car because he was unfamiliar with the stadium’s standards. “I want all those lots manned so that people can get the information when they arrive.” Ransdell said. As for the decrease in free parking zones, Ransdell explains he wants to raise pay in order to bolster the athletic programs at the university, especially with the school’s leap from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). “If we’re gonna compete at this level, we need to generate revenue if we want to be remotely competitive,” he said. Where will this increased revenue go? According to Ransdell, the money will aid “football operations” and the school’s “competitive excellence fund.” “We’re gonna put it right back into these programs,” he said. Aside from some disapproval about the uptick in paid parking spots, students still spar over the student tailgate changes. On the other hand, Ransdell points out the added room for scholars to tailgate in Lot 24 and near Strong Hall and Glass Hall where bigger tents have the potential to host fraternities, larger groups and the like. And, big groups should parade around Robert W. Plaster Stadium on game days. All over. Everywhere. Ransdell mentioned the first two home contests against Southern Methodist University on Saturday, Sept. 13 and versus the University of Tennessee at Martin on Saturday, Sept. 20 could each feature attendance counts upwards of 14,000. Talks of potential sellouts have also crept into the conversation. To prepare for this possibility, Rowley explains the university will increase its police presence significantly. However, he also indicated only so much can be done to truly be ready. “Nobody in recent memory remembers any game close to a sellout, and so there isn’t really any institutional knowledge or memory of what was done or what that looked like when it happened,” he said. As for Ransdell, his focus turns to making the game day experience around Plaster Stadium a whole new world. “We want to make it an event in totality,” he said. Part of the event in its totality will entail a new videoboard placed in BearFest Village to galvanize fans with sights of College GameDay and games from across the country. In this way, Ransdell hopes to generate more buzz for the program. “Hopefully, our footprint is expanding dramatically going into the season,” he said. If one thing has expanded before the start of Missouri State’s inaugural year as a member of the FBS, it has most definitely been the school’s footprint. Now, the community braces itself for the thrill that goes along with it. The FBS has officially arrived in Springfield, Missouri.
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Five autumn festivals to visit in the Springfield area ELIZABETH THOMPSON Reporter Qelizabeth.thompson20
Ozark Craft Fair
961 N Riverside Rd, Ozark, MO 65721 This craft fair takes place Oct. 3 through 5 in one of Springfield’s many neighboring towns, Ozark! It’s an Ozark fall tradition that offers food trucks and 350-plus vendors, bringing in thousands of visitors each year. This lovely fair takes place at Finley River Park, offering views and walking trails along with shopping and food. It’s fun for all ages, and pets are welcome, Cider Days as well. If you’re looking to purchase some 600-1000 block, E Walnut St, Springfield, MO local swag or new holiday decorations, there’s 65806 nowhere better than the Ozark Craft Fair! Cider Days is located in Springfield on Historic Walnut Street, just a few blocks from Apple Butter Makin’ Days campus. It takes place Sept. 20 and 21, from 319 E. Dallas St, Mount Vernon, MO, 65721 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. This event features If you don’t mind a bit of a drive, Mount many of our favorite aspects of fall and Spring- Vernon has one of the area’s most popular fesfield like delicious food, local vendors, and, of tivals: Apple Butter Makin’ Days. The event is course, apple cider! Cider Days also includes around 30-40 minutes away from campus, but three stages in different areas along the street, is absolutely worth the travel time! It includes which will feature performances by local mu- fun activities like the weiner dog race, a parade, sicians, schools, dance teams and theaters. an apple pie baking contest and apple butter Entrance costs around $5 with tickets purchas- cooking! There will also be live music to enjoy able on site or online at www.itsalldowntown. throughout the days. Apple Butter Makin’ Days com. Once you’re inside, you can stay as long takes place Oct. 10 through 12, with different as you like and enjoy some of the best that events scheduled for each day. Visit www.mtSpringfield has to offer. vchamber.com or the Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce Facebook page for a full schedWilder Days ule of events to pick which day you’d like to 3060 State Hwy. A, Mansfield, MO 65704 attend. Pets, kids and adults will all love this Wilder Days is a step back into the past, classic Missouri festival! perfect for fans of history, music and Laura Ingalls Wilder. Located in two places in Man- Pets and Pumpkins Family Festival sfield, Wilder Days has a celebration at Wilders’ Park Central Square, Springfield, MO 65806 house, as well as in downtown Mansfield on Have a family pet with some fall spirit? Sept. 26 and 27. Wilder Days includes many Bring them out to Pets and Pumpkins Family fun activities, both downtown and at the Wild- Festival on Oct. 18! This event takes place in er house. At the house, you can tour the old Park Central Square from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. home, enjoy the museum and gift shop and Admission is $2 per person and pet, but all participate in fun activities that only happen activities are included once you’re inside. You once a year. The little farmers costume contest can dress up and participate in a variety of acis a blast for kids, and the Fiddle Fest is fun to tivities, including a costume contest and walkparticipate in for fiddlers of all ages, or just to ing parade for you and your furry friends. watch for lovers of bluegrass. Downtown, there Nearly 100% of your entrance fee will be doare booths, food trucks and live music that you nated to local animal shelters and children’s can peruse at your leisure after learning all about organizations. Animal lovers are sure to enjoy the Wilders. It costs a small fee to tour the home this fall festival, and pups will have a blast as and museum, but the downtown festival is free well! for everyone to enjoy! For those that love fall, Springfield, Missouri is the place to be! With September here and autumn right around the corner, the Springfield area has a wide assortment of fall festivities to enjoy. While there are more than we can mention, here are some of the area’s most well-loved festivals:
Photos by W. Paul Bohlen, Qanthro_paul_ogist Many outdoor festivals allow pets, but Pets and Pumpkins Family Festival is held specifically for pets. The festival will include a costume contest and parade to show off your pets’ spooky spirit.
Cider Days, the closest festival to campus, will feature live performances, local vendors and apple cider among a plethora of other fun opportunities.
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Explore the Ozarks Six hiking spots near Missouri State for students looking to get outside ELLA CONKLIN Campus Administration Editor Q_ellaconklin September is here, bringing fall, pumpkin spice and cooler temperatures! As the hot summer weather fades, some may feel a renewed sense to get outside and enjoy the autumn season! Before winter rolls in, here are a few state parks and conservation areas within an hour of MSU that students should consider visiting:
Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield
6424 W. Farm Road 182 Republic, MO 65738 The historic site of the second major battle of the Civil War, Wilson’s Creek, is located 20 minutes from Missouri State in Republic. The national park offers a museum, a self-guided historic tour road, walking trails and hiking trails. The most notable attraction of Wilson’s Creek is the self-guided, interactive tour road. The five-mile paved tour road can be traversed in a vehicle, by bike or by foot and includes eight historically significant stops. Additionally, five walking trails varying in length are accessible by the tour road. Both hikers and horseback riders can find a seven-mile trail system also accessible by the tour road. Wilson’s Creek offers many more activities for history buffs and nature fanatics alike! For more information, visit the Wilson’s Creek page on the National Park Service website.
Dirt 66: Fellows Lake Trails
4200 E. Farm Road 66 Springfield, MO 65803 In 2006, Ozark Greenways, City Utilities and an Eagle Scouts project partnered to develop more than 25 miles of dirt trail, 20 minutes north of MSU, around Fellows Lake. The trail system is open to hikers, runners and mountain bikers to use from sunrise to sunset. Leashed dogs are welcome as well, so long as owners pick up after their furry friends! Five trailheads positioned around the lake offer parking, and one has a bathroom. Three porta-potties are located along the trail on the North side of Fellows Lake. For more information and a comprehensive map of the trail system, visit the Dirt 66: Fellows Lake Trails page on the Ozark Greenways website. Addresses to spe-
cific trailheads can be found on Google Maps when viewing Fellows Lake on the map.
Little Sac Woods Conservation Area
10455 N. Farm Road 115, Willard, MO 65781 Little Sac Woods Conversation Area is about 775 acres of protected forest 30 minutes away from MSU. The conservation area is a great place for animal sight-seeing as the dense forest offers a home to deer, turkey, squirrels and raccoons. Visitors can enjoy roughly seven miles of hiking trail through open prairies, dense forest, ponds, and glades covered in wild flowers. Primitive dispersed camping is allowed in Little Sac Woods, but a special permit must be obtained through the Missouri Department of Conversation Southwest Regional Office, which is located in Springfield. Two parking lots are open on the West and East sides of the conserIllustration by Ella Conklin, Q_ellaconklin vation area, and those locations can be found on Google Maps. For more information and a map of the area, visit the Little Sac Woods Just under an hour from MSU lies a whole of a mile and seven miles, have sights of the Conservation Area page on the Missouri De- weekend worth of outdoor fun at Table Rock lush forest and bright blue river. Bennett Spring partment of Conservation website. State Park! For starters, hikers and mountain is also a rainbow trout hatchery and a premier bikers can enjoy the 11.3 miles of natural trail spot for trout fishing! Fishers can be seen all Busiek State Forest in the White River Valley Trail System. In ad- along the stream taking advantage of the abunHighlandville, MO 65669 dition, Table Rock Lakeshore Trail offers a dance of trout. The park offers lodging for all About 30 minutes south of campus sits the paved trail alongside beautiful Table Rock comfort levels, including camping, sleepers 2,700 acres that make up Busiek State Park. Lake! Table Rock has two campsites that offer units, cabins and motels close to the park. An U.S. Highway 65 runs right down the middle basic, electric and sewer/electric/water camp- on-site park store stocks fishing equipment, of the forest, offering four parking lots available sites for campers of all modes. Basic campsites camping supplies and groceries for guest conright off the highway. Hikers, mountain-bikers can be reserved for $16 on the Missouri State venience. For more information, visit the Benand equestrians have 18 miles of beautiful dirt Parks Website; reservations can be made online nett Spring State Park website. trail. Privy to the Branson area, the trails are or as walk-ups if sites are available. For those difficult and hilly terrain, offering the seasoned not afraid for a day out on the water in cooler Foster Recreation Outdoor Adventures hiker a bit of a challenge. There are a few easy temperatures, State Park Marina rents paddleLooking for a little more support in your trails for newbies as well! The state forest has boats and kayaks. Fishing is also available, and outdoor adventures? Well, look no further than eight primitive, walk-in campsites located on supplies can be rented from the State Park Ma- MSU’s Outdoor Adventures! Missouri State the Northeast side of the forest. A permit is rina. For more information, visit the Table Rock Campus Recreation leads outdoor excursions required for camping, which can be obtained State Park page on the Missouri State Parks throughout the semester for students. Students at the Southwest Regional Office in Springfield. website. just need to register and pay an associated fee Busiek State Forest also allows for some huntand Campus Recreation will handle the rest! ing in accordance with the respective seasons, Bennett Spring State Park Outdoor adventures include day and weekend and an unstaffed shooting range is available. 26250 MO-64A, Lebanon, MO 65536 trips featuring hiking, mountain biking, climbFor more information, visit “Hiking at Busiek Bennett Spring is a marvel, pumping 100 ing, kayaking, fishing, camping and more! Five million gallons a day of clear, blue water into trips remain for the 2025 fall semester that State Forest” at ExploreBranson.com. the connecting rivers and streams. Just over an students can research and register for on the Table Rock State Park hour from MSU, the park has a whole weekend Campus Recreation page of the Missouri State 5272 Historic Highway 165, Branson, MO worth of hiking, fishing, history and more! Five website. 65616 different hiking trails, varying between a third
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Bears Share Reducing waste, feeding students
ELLA CONKLIN Campus Administration Editor Q_ellaconklin Missouri State University is piloting a new program, Bears Share, this semester to help students access warm meals left over from campus catering events. Students enrolled in the Bear Pantry, MSU’s campus food pantry, will receive emails that will alert them about available leftover food from catered events on campus. Students will then have 20 minutes to collect a single meal portion from the event for free. Ellen Currie, Coordinator of Student Care and Support at the Dean of Students Office, came up with this idea and led the implementation. “I work with students that are facing a lot of various stressors or barriers that might impede them for being successful in college,” Currie explains, “One of the very first students I met with said to me, ‘I just can’t remember the last time I had a hot meal,’ and that really stuck with me.” Currie partnered with Chartwells and the Bear Pantry to bring hot meals to students and help Missouri State cut down on food waste. Currently, Bears Share only sends alerts from catering events happening at Plaster Student Union and Glass Hall. Staff working campus catered events are provided with a QR code that leads to form staff can fill out about what kind of food is available. Those enrolled in the Bear Pantry will then receive an email that gives Bears Share users the location of the event and what kind of food is being served. Participants then have 20 minutes to pick up one meal to go. “(Through Bears Share) I think we were able to find one small, tiny solution to help
these students,” Ella Currie says, “and it’s not something that’s going to cure or eliminate food insecurity on this campus, but it is a step in the right direction.” Currently Bears Share is being piloted with only those enrolled in the Bear Pantry. The Bear Pantry provides food and other necessities to students, faculty, and staff at Missouri State. There are no income requirements to sign up for the Bear Pantry, participants just fill out a membership form and are free to start receiving support. “One of our big goals for the Bear Pantry is to address food insecurity and make sure that a basic need like food isn’t a barrier for our students to succeed in college,” explains Alex Jonhson, Director of Center of Community Engagement. “Bears Share is just another way we can provide that support to students.” The collaboration to see Bears Share to fruition shows how much the MSU community cares about students and how wellbeing affects academic success. Before Bears Share even launched Teri Trickey, Director of Catering, was wrapping up leftover catered meals and bringing them to Bear Pantry during the 2025 spring semester. In addition, University President Williams purchased to-go containers for Bears Share participants to use instead of having to bring their own. “(Bears Share) has a lot of support from President Williams,” Currie shares. “...We didn’t have any funding to buy containers and President Williams offered to buy the program containers, which was really kind and generous of him.” As the program continues to develop and grow, Currie hopes eventually Bears Share can stand as its own program, allowing students to sign up directly.
Photo by Jayden Pettus, Qjpettus_media Outside of Bears Share, the Bear Pantry is a great resource for can’t afford groceries. The pantry currently has 450 households enrolled. “I hope that (Bears Share) can also inspire other people to think of what holes they can see, where we’re not serving students, and what we can do to fix them,” Currie says. At the beginning of September, the Bear Pantry had 450 households enrolled and so 450 households received the notice when Bear Shares launched last week. Additionally, the Bear Pantry received around 10,000 visits last academic year, showing an abundant need for
initiatives that fight food insecurity. “I think the Bear Pantry and Bears Share are just examples of Missouri State’s faculty, staff, and students’ willingness to support each other,” Johnson says. “I would encourage folks to stop by the Bear Pantry for a tour, or learn how they can support, whether it’s through time or donations, and to encourage anyone they think could utilize these resources to do so.”
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