WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Midwestern State begins the Rich Renner era with Thursday night's season opener against Missouri Southern at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

The game is also the first for MSU on FloSports, the exclusive broadcast partner of the Lone Star Conference.

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Renner, who has spent the last 16 seasons at Midwestern State, becomes the fifth head football coach of the modern era. He takes over for Bill Maskill, who posted 160 wins over the last 22 seasons including nine postseason appearances and five Lone Star Conference titles.

The Mustangs were picked fifth in the LSC preseason poll, while juniors Kaleb Manning and Devin Cross were tabbed players to watch by the league.

Manning, a defensive end, enjoyed a breakout campaign and is the Mustangs' returning tackle leader. The Clute, Texas, native amassed 34 tackles, including 7 1/2 stops for loss in 2023.

Cross led the Mustangs with 713 rushing yards and scored five touchdowns, while topping the 100-yard mark in three games last season.

Midwestern State returns 42 letter winners and 11 starters from last season's squad which finished tied for fifth in the LSC with a 4-6 overall record.

Missouri Southern was picked to finish eighth in both coaches' and media poll in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. The Lions posted a 5-6 record in 2024, but closed the campaign with a 47-41 win over 19th-ranked Missouri Western.

Midwestern State and Missouri Southern meet for the first time on the gridiron Thursday night at Memorial Stadium.

The Mustangs own one win in seven tries against MIAA opponents, claiming a 28-26 win over Missouri Western in the opening round of the 2006 playoffs. Since, MSU fell twice in the postseason to Northwest Missouri in 2006 and 2011 and fell in the 2010 Kanza Bowl to Washburn (Kan.).

It is the Mustangs' first regular season meeting against an MIAA opponent since falling at Nebraska-Omaha in 2002. MSU also played Northwest Missouri in consecutive season openers in 1997 and 1998.

Midwestern State owns a 24-12 record in season lid-lifters since bringing back football prior to the 1988 season.