SPRINGFIELD--The Missouri State Bears football team has already surpassed critic's expectations, this fall. While many experts and polls thought MSU would stumble in its first season, at the FBS level, as a member of Conference USA, Ryan Beard and company have put together a 6-3 record that SHOULD have them dreaming of which bowl game they might get invited.

However, MSU may not get to see that dream materialize. Since this is the first season the Bears are playing in Conference USA, after leaving the Missouri Valley Conference, an old NCAA rule called a "transition period" would prohibit the team from playing in a bowl game. It was put in place decades ago, so teams switching conferences couldn't make the postseason. In a way, it's kind of like being on probation.

But here's the deal...

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