If Missouri State is going to make the postseason for the second season in a row, it is going to have to improve on what it did in the spring.
Even with the playoff field expanding from the spring's 16-team field to the FCS' typical 24-team bracket, the Bears are going to have multiple must-win games if they are to require an at-large bid for the second straight playoff.
Playing in the Missouri Valley Football Conference — which is regarded as the top conference in the FCS — gives the Bears plenty of opportunities to put quality wins on their resume but it also presents a challenge.