The Border War is back.
No. 23 Missouri travels to Lawrence on Friday night to take on Kansas in one of college football’s most historic rivalries. Both teams enter the matchup 1-0, setting the stage for a highly anticipated showdown at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT on FOX. Missouri leads the all-time series 57-55-9 and won last year’s meeting 42-31.
Missouri Looks to Continue Its Strong Start
The Tigers opened the 2026 season with a dominant 54-14 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
Much of the attention has gone to quarterback Austin Simmons, who made an impressive debut after transferring from Ole Miss. Simmons completed 17 of 19 passes for 252 yards and four touchdowns without throwing an interception.
Friday night, however, will provide a much tougher test.
Missouri will also have to deal with the absence of running back Ahmad Hardy, who is expected to miss the game with an injury. The Tigers could receive a boost on the offensive line with Cayden Green nearing a return.
Kansas Has Plenty of Confidence
The Jayhawks also dominated in their opener, defeating Long Island 51-6.
Quarterback Isaiah Marshall showed plenty of promise in his first significant action, completing 14 of 19 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns while adding 49 rushing yards. Wide receiver Nik McMillan was another standout, recording six catches for 130 yards.
Kansas’ rushing attack could also play a major role. The Jayhawks have multiple talented backs, giving them different ways to attack Missouri’s defense.
The biggest question will be whether Kansas can consistently move the ball against a Missouri defense that allowed just 18.9 points and 277.3 yards per game last season.
Rivalry Atmosphere Could Decide It
This game means much more than a normal Week 2 matchup.
The Border War returned to the football schedule last season after more than a decade without a regular-season meeting. Missouri won that 2025 matchup, but Kansas now gets the advantage of playing in front of its home crowd.
Both teams have legitimate reasons to believe they can win, making Friday night’s matchup one of the most intriguing games of the weekend.
Expect a close, physical rivalry game that could come down to the final few possessions.
