Mizzou didn’t exactly ease into the Border War. For a long stretch, the Tigers looked loose in all the wrong ways, and halftime arrived with the score knotted at 14-14. But the second half told a much different story, and by the time the dust settled, Mizzou had turned a rocky opener into a 38-21 win over kansas.
That turnaround is the biggest thing to take from Friday night. The first 30 minutes were messy.
Mizzou looked sloppy, rattled, and out of sync, while kansas did just enough to keep its crowd engaged. Whatever was said after halftime, though, clearly landed.
The Tigers came out settled, sharper, and far more in control, and from there they leaned on the clear talent gap to pull away and run the clock out.
Austin Simmons was the constant throughout it all. He was Mizzou’s steadiest player from start to finish, and it was his arm that helped close the door in the second half. Jamal Roberts and Xai’Shaun Edwards also gave the offense the balance it needed, which made life harder on the Jayhawks’ defense and helped Mizzou keep control once it got rolling.
The passing game, though, may be the real headline. Donovan Olugbode and Cayden Lee were everywhere Friday night, and both finished with 120-plus yards and touchdowns.
Lee kept finding soft spots in coverage. Olugbode gave Mizzou the kind of size and end-zone presence that can change a game in a hurry.
Put those two next to Simmons, and the Tigers have the look of a dangerous passing attack. Add Shaun Terry’s YAC ability, Caleb Goodie’s downfield threat, and Brett Norfleet’s ability to move chains, and there’s a lot to like about what this offense can become.
There were also signs the offensive line is settling in. Last week’s showing against Arkansas Pine-Bluff raised some real questions, but the return of Cayden Green to left tackle made a noticeable difference in Lawrence.
The line looked more composed against a feisty kansas front, the run game improved to 4.3 yards per carry, and Roberts’ big rushing score was part of that. Edwards added another touchdown on the ground, and Simmons rarely looked under siege.
That said, this was far from clean football. The Tigers committed six false starts, which is way too many for a Power Four road game.
They also dealt with multiple personal foul penalties, including two on kickoffs that handed kansas better field position during its comeback push. Muffed snaps derailed two promising drives.
Both of Mizzou’s first two field goal attempts were blocked, and the second was returned for a touchdown. There were also missed tackles in late-down situations, and a few interceptions were dropped.
Some of that comes down to execution. Some of it falls on coaching.
Either way, Eli Drinkwitz and his staff have plenty to sort through before Troy. But they get to do it after a win.
Mizzou went to Lawrence, won the game, covered, and did it without playing its cleanest football. That’s a pretty good night.
In Other News...
Robert Woodyard Just Flipped Mizzous Biggest Game Of The Night
Missouri and Kansas spent the first half trading punches in a tied Border Showdown, but the game turned sharply after halftime when Robert Woodyard started making the kind of plays that swing rivalry nights. The Missouri linebacker forced a fumble in the third quarter, then came back later to pick off a pass, and the Tigers cashed in on both chances with a pair of touchdowns to seize a 28-14 lead.
For a matchup that always carries extra edge, Woodyards sequence was exactly the kind of jolt Missouri needed to separate itself in a game that had been dead even at the break. With Kansas already on the wrong side of that momentum swing, the Tigers now have to carry the same defensive energy forward into next weeks meeting with Troy. [Read more 🡒]
Eli Drinkwitz Just Raised The Stakes In Mizzous Kansas Rivalry
The buildup to Missouris latest meeting with Kansas was already tense, but a pregame video from the Jayhawks added another layer to the rivalry when it referenced the series Civil War roots. Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz pushed back hard on that choice, calling it inappropriate and especially out of place on 9/11, when the tone around the game carried extra weight beyond the usual border bragging rights.
Missouri then answered on the field with a 38-21 win, its second straight in the revived series. Drinkwitz made clear afterward that he was disappointed by the video and left open a bigger question about what comes next, signaling that the future of the rivalry may be just as unsettled as the emotions around this latest chapter. [Read more 🡒]
Missouri Finally Delivered The Border War Road Win Fans Craved
Missouri walked out of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium with more than a rivalry win, finally snapping a nearly 25-year drought in Lawrence with a 38-21 victory over Kansas in the 2026 Border War. Austin Simmons helped set the tone with a strong passing night, throwing for 292 yards and three touchdowns, while Robert Woodyard Jr. made his presence felt on defense with a fumble recovery and an interception.
The Tigers still had to work for it before taking control in the second half, but the payoff was obvious for a program and fan base that had waited a long time for this road result. Beating Kansas on its field does more than add a line to the record book, and Missouri now has a fresh reminder of what it looks like when the rivalry swings its way. [Read more 🡒]