1996 Southwest Missouri State Bears football team

1996 Southwest Missouri State Bears football
ConferenceGateway Football Conference
Record7–4 (3–2 GFC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorMitch Ware (1st season)
Defensive coordinatorMike Kolling (5th season)
Captains
  • Michael Cosey
  • Earnest Grayson
  • Mike Miano
  • Jeremy Hoog
  • Paxton Parker
  • Travis Richardson
Home stadiumPlaster Sports Complex
1996 Gateway Football Conference standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 3 Northern Iowa $^   5 0     12 2  
No. 10 Western Illinois ^   3 2     9 3  
No. 21 Southwest Missouri State   3 2     7 4  
Indiana State   3 2     6 5  
Southern Illinois   1 4     5 6  
Illinois State   0 5     3 8  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll

The 1996 Southwest Missouri State Bears football team represented Southwest Missouri State University (now known as Missouri State University) as a member of the Gateway Football Conference (GFC) during the 1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by second-year head coach Del Miller, the Bears compiled an overall record of 7–4, with a mark of 3–2 in conference play, and finished tied for second in the GFC.