Missouri State joins Conference USA, could be last FBS addition for a while

Missouri State was announced as the Conference USA's newest addition on May 10, but as Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger notes, it could be the last FBS addition for a while due to the new $5 million entrance fee to Division I college football's top subdivision.

"Missouri State is the newest FBS member and, given the new $5 million entrance fee into FBS, is perhaps one of the last for a while," Dellenger wrote.

Missouri State will be joining Delaware and Kennesaw State as C-USA's new additions for the 2025-26 academic calendar. Conference USA welcomed the two newest FBS schools in 2023 in Jacksonville State and Sam Houston State.

Both the Bears, Fightin' Blue Hens, and Owls will hope their FBS debuts will go as swimmingly as Jax State's as opposed to SHSU's.

Conference USA caught stray from Sonny Dykes with Alabama-LA Tech comment

While discussing the future of college football -- specifically, a split between the Power conferences and the rest -- and the effects of NIL and the transfer portal, TCU head coach Sonny Dykes took a shot at the Group of 5, and specifically Conference USA, in claiming that Alabama and LA Tech aren't even playing the same sport.

“There’s got to be a split eventually,” Dykes said (h/t On3). “There is such a big difference right now between the haves and the have-nots and I think we’ll eventually split into two separate divisions. Alabama and LA Tech aren’t playing the same sport."

One wonders whether or not Missouri State joined the FBS knowing that they'd have a chance to win a championship with a separate G5 College Football Playoff. Otherwise, they'd be hopping on the same hamster wheel every other non-Power conference, and even most non-SEC/Big Ten powerhouses, are running on -- having great seasons only to be crushed in the postseason and lose their top players in the offseason.