Missouri has seized control of the Border War by turning defense into instant offense, and Robert Woodyard is the reason the Tigers suddenly own a two-score cushion.
After a first half that ended tied at 14 and featured plenty of swings, Woodyard flipped the game in Missouri’s favor midway through the third quarter. He forced an Isaiah Marshall fumble, and a few snaps later Austin Simmons hit Donovan Olugbode for an 8-yard touchdown to put Mizzou ahead 21-14.
Woodyard wasn’t done. On Kansas’ next possession, he picked off Marshall in Jayhawks territory, and Missouri quickly cashed that takeaway in as well. That sequence stretched the Tigers’ lead to 28-14.
It had already been a chaotic night before Woodyard took over. Marshall threw an early interception, but Kansas answered with a blocked field goal return for a touchdown to get on the board first. Missouri then responded before halftime, with Simmons leading a strong drive and connecting with former Ole Miss teammate Cayden Lee to knot the game at 14.
The recent history between these two programs has added another layer to the matchup. Missouri and Kansas were longtime Big 12 rivals before the Tigers moved to the SEC, and they did not meet again until last year. In that game, Kansas jumped out to a 21-6 lead before Missouri stormed back for a 42-31 win.
Missouri now has one non-conference game left after this one. The Tigers will host Troy in Week 3, with kickoff set for 7:45 p.m. ET on the SEC Network.
In Other News...
Eli Drinkwitz Just Raised The Stakes In Mizzous Kansas Rivalry
The Missouri-Kansas football rivalry already carries more than enough history, but the run-up to this years game added a layer that went well beyond the usual trash talk. Kansas posted a pregame video leaning on the rivalrys Civil War roots, and Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz made clear he did not think the framing fit the moment, particularly with the game coming on Sept. 11. Missouri went on to handle business with a 38-21 win, giving the Tigers back-to-back victories in the revived series.
Drinkwitzs reaction after the game suggested the exchange may linger longer than the final score. He said he was disappointed by how the rivalry was presented and raised doubts about what the future should look like if that is the direction the buildup takes. For Missouri, the win was the headline on the field, but the off-field angle left the series with a sharper edge than either side probably wanted. [Read more 🡒]
Two Mizzou Cornerstones Are Finally Getting Statewide Recognition
Missouri will get a pair of familiar names back in the spotlight this fall, as the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2026 includes the 1994 mens basketball team and former track and field coach Dr. Rick McGuire. For fans around Columbia, it is the kind of recognition that feels overdue for two pillars of the programs history, one remembered for a deep NCAA run and the other for building one of the most enduring coaching legacies the school has had.
The Hall will honor both during its induction ceremony Oct. 25 in Columbia, a fitting setting for a class tied so closely to the university. The basketball team and McGuire each represent different eras of Missouri success, but together they underscore how much of the Tigers identity has been shaped by teams and coaches whose impact lasted far beyond a single season. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Leans Into Border War Tension With Provocative Missouri Message
The Border War is back in the spotlight, and the buildup has taken a familiar turn for one of college footballs oldest rivalries. No. 23 Missouri is set to face Kansas in a series that dates to 1891, and the Jayhawks have leaned hard into the history surrounding it with a Civil War-themed hype video narrated by former player Gilbert Brown.
The tone fits a rivalry rooted in more than just football, with the two states animosity stretching back to the Civil War era and flashpoints like the Lawrence Massacre and William Quantrill woven into the lore. For Missouri, that only raises the temperature of a game that already carries plenty of weight, even before the teams get to the field. [Read more 🡒]