KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Head Coach Atiba Bradley and student-athletes Nathan Glades and Colton Bass represented Missouri Southern Monday afternoon at the 2025 MIAA Football Media Day held on the campus of Emporia State University.

Glades, a Joplin, Missouri, running back, returns for his graduate season while Bass, an Adrian, Missouri, senior linebacker, will lead the Lions' defense after earning 2024 All-MIAA Honorable Mention laurels. Glades was tabbed to the 2022 All-MIAA Second Team as a sophomore.  

Watch MSSU at the 2025 MIAA Football Media Day. The Lions are featured at 3:59:35 on the broadcast.

MSSU was selected to finish the 2025 season 10th in both the 2025 MIAA preseason coaches poll and the 2025 preseason media poll. 

The Lions finished 2-9 (1-8 MIAA) this past fall. Bradley is in his fifth season at the helm of MSSU. 

MIAA head football coaches selected defending MIAA Champion Central Oklahoma to finish at the top of the league's standings while media representatives tabbed Pittsburg State as the MIAA favorite in the 2025 season.

MIAA coaches tabbed the Bronchos as their favorite to take home the 2025 crown with seven first-place votes in the coaches' preseason poll. The Bronchos finished second in the media preseason poll despite collecting the most first-place selections with 18. The Gorillas tabbed the top spot in the media preseason poll and second in the MIAA coaches poll with three first-place votes. Fort Hays State claimed the No. 3 spot and Central Missouri finished fourth in both of the polls.
 
2025 MIAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Central Oklahoma [7] – 78 points
2. Pittsburg State [3] – 75 points
3. Fort Hays State – 62 points
4. Central Missouri – 57 points
5. Emporia State – 50 points
6. Northwest Missouri – 41 points
7. Missouri Western – 29 points
8. Nebraska Kearney – 28 points
9. Washburn – 21 points
10. Missouri Southern – 9 points
[#] - Number of First Place Votes
 
2025 MIAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
1. Pittsburg State [13] – 310 points
2. Central Oklahoma [18] – 307 points
3. Fort Hays State [2] – 271 points
4. Central Missouri [1] – 239 points
5. Northwest Missouri – 215 points
6. Emporia State – 167 points
7. Nebraska Kearney – 120 points
8. Missouri Western – 107 points
9. Washburn – 88 points
10. Missouri Southern – 46 points
[#] - Number of First Place Votes