Missouri State football falls in season finale at No. 1 South Dakota State

Missouri State football’s first season under head coach Ryan Beard ended Saturday afternoon with a 35-17 loss at FCS No. 1 South Dakota State.

The Bears finished their year with a 4-7 record. A young roster will enter an offseason with immediate questions as to who will depart to the transfer portal and who will be added. Expectations will be higher in the second year of Beard’s tenure with the needed development of those who remain on the roster.

South Dakota State, the overwhelming favorite to repeat as the FCS national champs, outclassed the Bears on both sides of the ball while Missouri State kept it respectable as it entered the game a 26-point underdog.

The Jackrabbits took a 21-3 lead into halftime while holding the Bears to just 109 total yards, with 18 coming on the ground for an average of 1.5 yards per carry. SDSU scored touchdowns on each of its first three drives.

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MSU quarterback Jordan Pachot finished the game 23 of 35 for 261 yards and two touchdowns with Raylen Sharpe catching eight passes for 86 yards. Sharpe finished the year with MSU’s single-season record for catches and second in touchdown catches and receiving yards.

South Dakota State gained 477 yards with quarterback Mark Gronowski completing 16 of 23 passes for 323 yards and two scores. Five rushers combined for 154 yards and three touchdowns with former Joplin standout Isaiah Davis leading the way with 85 yards and a score.

The Bears didn’t have an answer for SDSU wide receiver Jadon Janke, who caught 10 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown. The Jacks averaged 20.2 yards per completion.

Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield News-Leader. You can contact him at 417-371-6987, by email at wwheeler@news-leader.com or X at @WyattWheeler_NL. He’s also the host of the weekly “Wyatt’s World Podcast” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other podcasting platforms