2003 Southwest Missouri State Bears football team

2003 Southwest Missouri State Bears football
Conference	Gateway Football Conference
Record	4–7 (1–6 GFC)
Head coach	Randy Ball (5th season)
Home stadium	Plaster Sports Complex

2003 Gateway Football Conference standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 5 Northern Iowa +^		6	–	1					10	–	3
No. 9 Southern Illinois +^		6	–	1					10	–	2
No. 6 Western Illinois ^		5	–	2					9	–	4
No. 7 Western Kentucky ^		5	–	2					9	–	4
Illinois State		3	–	4					6	–	6
Youngstown State		2	–	5					5	–	7
Southwest Missouri State		1	–	6					4	–	7
Indiana State		0	–	7					3	–	9
+ – Conference co-champions ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network poll

The 2003 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 2003 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Randy Ball, the Bears compiled an overall record of 4–7, with a mark of 1–6 in conference play, and finished seventh in the GFC.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
August 28	East Central*	Plaster Sports Complex Springfield, MO	W 48–0	11,362	[1]
September 13	at Oklahoma State*	Boone Pickens Stadium Stillwater, OK	L 3–42	42,152	[2]
September 20	at Southeast Missouri State*	Houck Stadium Cape Girardeau, MO	W 17–10		[3]
September 27	Bacone*	Plaster Sports Complex Springfield, MO	W 51–14	12,607	[4]
October 4	at Youngstown State	Stambaugh Stadium Youngstown, OH	L 7–34		[5]
October 11	at No. 9 Western Kentucky	L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	L 6–9	8,383	[6]
October 18	No. 11 Northern Iowa	Plaster Sports Complex Springfield, MO	L 20–26	14,911	[7]
October 25	at No. 4 Southern Illinois	McAndrew Stadium Carbondale, IL	L 6–20	8,873	[8]
November 1	Indiana State	Plaster Sports Complex Springfield, MO	W 45–10	5,017	[9]
November 8	Illinois State	Plaster Sports Complex Springfield, MO	L 43–48	2,898	[10]
November 15	at No. 10 Western Illinois	Hanson Field Macomb, IL	L 42–63	7,513	[11]
*Non-conference game Rankings from The Sports Network Poll released prior to the game

References

1. "An opening blowout". The Springfield News-Leader. August 29, 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
2. "Bell, Shaw carry OSU to easy win". The Daily Oklahoman. September 14, 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "SMS 17, SEMO 10". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. September 21, 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Mismatch; NAIA foe Bacone no match for Bears in final tune-up foe conference play". The Springfield News-Leader. September 28, 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Youngstown St. 34, SW Missouri St. 7". The Plain Dealer. October 5, 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Lange's last-second FG lifts WKU to 9–6 victory". The Courier-Journal. October 12, 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Versatile Sapp, Panther defense snares the Bears". The Des Moines Register. October 19, 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Still perfect; Robinson's run sparks Salukis in win over SMS". Southern Illinoisan. October 26, 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Bears get act together for win". The Springfield News-Leader. November 2, 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Redbirds win offensive celebration". The Pantagraph. November 9, 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Leathernecks turn up their offense, 63–42". The Courier-Journal. November 16, 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.