| 2021 Missouri State Bears football | |
|---|---|
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NCAA Division I First Round, L 31–32 vs. UT Martin | |
| Conference | Missouri Valley Football Conference |
| Ranking | |
| STATS | No. 14 |
| FCS Coaches | No. 14 |
| Record | 8–4 (6–2 MVFC) |
| Head coach |
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| Offensive coordinator | Nick Petrino (2nd season) |
| Offensive scheme | Multiple |
| Defensive coordinator | Ryan Beard (2nd season) |
| Base defense | 3–4 |
| Home stadium | Robert W. Plaster Stadium |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 1 North Dakota State $^ | 7 | – | 1 | 14 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 14 Missouri State ^ | 6 | – | 2 | 8 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 16 Southern Illinois ^ | 5 | – | 3 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 18 South Dakota ^ | 5 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 4 South Dakota State ^ | 5 | – | 3 | 11 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 23 Northern Iowa ^ | 4 | – | 4 | 6 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana State | 3 | – | 5 | 5 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| North Dakota | 3 | – | 5 | 5 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Western Illinois | 2 | – | 6 | 2 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois State | 2 | – | 6 | 4 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youngstown State | 2 | – | 6 | 3 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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.[1] Entering the season the team was predicted to finish 6th in the conference. The Bears finished the regular season with an 8–3 record (5–2 in conference play) 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.
- ^ "Missouri State earns bearth [sic] into FCS Football Playoffs". Missourinet. April 19, 2021.