Missouri kept the Border War where it has lived for nearly two decades: in the Tigers’ hands.
Mizzou moved to 2-0 with a 38-21 win over Kansas on Friday night, extending its run in the rivalry to five straight. The game was tight through the first half, but Missouri came out of the break with the kind of burst that turned a tense matchup into a comfortable finish.
A big part of that swing came from Robert Woodyard. The Auburn linebacker transfer made his presence felt in a major way, forcing back-to-back turnovers that handed Austin Simmons and the Missouri offense prime field position. Those mistakes led directly to consecutive touchdown drives, and Woodyard’s night ended with 6 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery and 1 interception.
Simmons took full advantage. The quarterback was sharp throughout, finishing 19 of 29 for 292 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also flashed his arm strength on several throws, including a tight slant to Donovan Olugbode that capped the sequence started by Woodyard.
Olugbode led Missouri’s receiving production with 6 catches for 121 yards and that touchdown. Cayden Lee, the Ole Miss transfer, was right behind him with 6 receptions for 120 yards and a score of his own.
Jamal Roberts gave the Tigers a steady ground game and then some. The senior running back carried 28 times for 125 yards, highlighted by a 64-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
Kansas has not won the Border War since 2008. Missouri’s next game is a Week 3 home matchup against Troy.
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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 🡒]