Missouri had to survive plenty of rough patches in the 122nd Border War, but the Tigers found enough big moments to finish the job against Kansas. Special teams issues, shaky run blocking and trouble finishing tackles on Isaiah Marshall put MU in an early bind. Still, a handful of snaps flipped the game and helped carry Missouri to the win.
The biggest swing came from fifth-year Auburn transfer linebacker Woodyard, who turned one drive into two Kansas mistakes. First, he stripped Marshall and recovered the fumble, putting Missouri at the 34-yard line. The Tigers turned that takeaway into a touchdown and a 21-14 lead early in the third quarter.
Then Woodyard struck again on the very next Kansas offensive snap. He picked off Marshall and handed Missouri the ball at the Jayhawks’ 12-yard line, setting up another quick score in two plays.
"Not only (was) he all over the field making tackles, now he's making interceptions, forcing fumbles," MU coach Eli Drinkwitz said of Woodyard. "I mean, he was a nightmare over there. So really proud of him."
Those two turnovers gave Missouri its easiest points of the night and, just as important, built a cushion before the fourth quarter got tense.
Offensively, the Tigers were still fighting uphill. After a rough Week 1 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, the run game again had to grind for every inch across the border. Only one of Missouri’s starting linemen posted a PFF run-blocking grade of 70 or better, and that was Mississippi State transfer and starting right tackle Luke Work.
As a group, the line had a hard time opening real lanes, and Missouri’s backs averaged 4.2 yards per carry and 3.41 yards after contact. Drinkwitz pointed to the value of even the modest gains, especially Roberts’ 64-yard burst, which gave the Tigers their first touchdown of the game during a stretch when the offense was struggling to find rhythm.
“We still got work to do, but I mean, they all count. So they're all punches.
They're all body blows," Drinkwitz said. "The run game is all about body blows, body blows, body blows, and we had to have it.
You know, we got it in the end zone... they all count.”
On defense, sophomore defensive tackle transfer Donta Simpson from Miami delivered a much-needed jolt after a quiet debut against Arkansas Pine Bluff. Against Kansas, he came alive in the fourth quarter and finished with 1.5 sacks.
His first sack pushed Kansas back from a third down into a fourth-and-16 with Missouri leading 31-21 and 3:40 remaining. On the next play, Daeden Hopkins and Darris Smith combined to force a turnover on downs and essentially close the door.
After Missouri managed just one sack from its defensive line in Week 1, Simpson’s breakout offered a welcome sign that the pass rush could have more to give in the weeks ahead.
In Other News...
Eli Drinkwitz Took Missouris Border War Win To Another Level Online
Missouris Border War win over Kansas already carried the usual rivalry weight, but Eli Drinkwitz made sure the celebration did not stop when the game did. After the Tigers 38-21 victory, the Missouri coach jumped onto social media and started responding to Kansas players and fans, turning a Saturday win into a much longer night online.
Drinkwitz replied to posts tied to the rivalry, including a Kansas hype video and clips of goalpost celebrations, and he leaned into the back-and-forth in a way that fit the moment. Missouri has now won consecutive games since the series resumed, and with no meeting scheduled again until 2031, the online noise may be the loudest part of this Border War for a while. [Read more 🡒]
Missouris Border War Win Revealed A New Offensive Pecking Order
Missouris Border War win over Kansas did more than improve the record in Week 2. It also offered a clearer look at how the offense is being organized early in the season, with a tighter rotation than the opener and a few players beginning to separate themselves in meaningful ways. Quarterback Austin Simmons was at the center of it, posting a 90.2 Pro Football Focus grade over 69 snaps, while the backfield and receiver usage pointed to a more defined pecking order than the Tigers showed a week earlier.
Jamal Roberts was heavily involved as Missouri leaned on him in both the run game and overall workload, and the line gave Simmons enough protection to keep the offense on schedule. The pass blocking stood out in particular, with Luke Work drawing strong marks, and the Tigers still spread the ball around enough to use seven receivers. The question now is how much of that Week 2 distribution was a product of the matchup, and how much of it signals the way this offense wants to run going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Cayden Green Made Missouris Kansas Win Mean Even More
Missouris win over Kansas had plenty of obvious stars, but Cayden Greens role gave the night a little extra weight. Coach Eli Drinkwitz handed out game balls after the 38-21 victory, and Green was among the players recognized alongside receiver Cayden Lee and linebacker Robert Woodyard Jr., a nod to how much the left tackle mattered in keeping the offense on track.
Greens presence was especially notable because his return came sooner than many around the program had expected, adding another layer to a rivalry win that already carried plenty of meaning. With Austin Simmons and Jamal Roberts also turning in strong performances, Missouri left the field with a result that stood on its own, but Greens contribution made the celebration feel even fuller. [Read more 🡒]