However, Beard's old role reportedly will not stay vacant for long. Missouri State is naming SMU offensive coordinator Casey Woods its next coach on a five-year contract, according to a Thursday afternoon report from Pete Thamel of ESPN.

Missouri State makes its first bowl appearance Thursday when they take the gridiron against Arkansas State in the Xbox Bowl. Lets dive into each school on both sides of the ball and see if the numbers and statistics point us towards a wager or two.

Of the 41 major college bowl games, 16 are owned by ESPN. All but three are televised by ESPN or ABC. And even the worst bowls are still ratings gold.

The FBS bowl season got started a bit earlier this year with the LA Bowl kicking things off this past Saturday and the Salute to Veterans Bowl unfolding on Tuesday. There's still the Xbox Bowl to come on Thursday,

The first-ever Xbox Bowl will take place between Arkansas State and Missouri State on Thursday night in Frisco, Texas. For the Red Wolves, this is their third consecutive appearance in a bowl game and they have a chance to win back-to-back bowl games for the third time in program history.

FRISCO, Tex–The Bears will be trying to snap a two game losing skid against Arkansas State in the Xbox Bowl. Ozarks First Chris Pinson is in Texas and files this preview. Hey Dan, Missouri State is less than 24 hours away from playing Arkansas State in the Xbox Bowl here in Frisco,

The second college football bowl game of the postseason will take place Tuesday with the Salute to Veterans Bowl in Montgomery, Ala.

Oklahoma 8 p.m., ABC/ESPN This is shaping up as a low-scoring affair, with both offenses on the decline as defenses figured out how to slow them down with each passing week. However, it should be the most electric atmosphere of the first round with a frenzied Sooner fanbase ecstatic to be back