1986 Southwest Missouri State Bears football team

1986 Southwest Missouri State Bears football
ConferenceGateway Collegiate Athletic Conference
Record3–7 (1–5 GCAC)
Head coach
Home stadiumBriggs Stadium
1986 Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 3 Eastern Illinois $^ 5 1 011 2 0
No. 17 Southern Illinois 4 2 07 4 0
Northern Iowa 4 2 07 3 1
Illinois State 3 3 05 5 0
Western Illinois 2 4 06 5 0
SW Missouri State 1 5 03 7 0
Indiana State 1 5 03 8 0
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll

The 1986 Southwest Missouri State Bears football team represented Southwest Missouri State University (now known as Missouri State University) as a member of the Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference (GCAC) during the 1986 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by first-year head coach Jesse Branch, the Bears compiled an overall record of 3–7, with a mark of 1–5 in conference play, and finished tied for sixth in the GCAC.