Evaluating Kansas Football’s Chances of Beating Missouri After Season Opener

Kansas competed in its first regular-season matchup of the season on Friday, taking down Long Island 51-6 in a convincing win. The Jayhawks were heavily favored going into the contest, but it was still a good experience for a new-look squad that fans hadn't seen in action.

While a blowout victory is always exciting to watch, the most important aspect of the contest was giving the coaching staff some ideas on what they're working with ahead of the Border Showdown this week. KU will be looking to get revenge on its cross-state rival Missouri when the two schools face off on Friday.

After a slow start to the night that featured a turnover on downs and just six points in the first quarter, the Jayhawks quickly began to gel over the final 45 minutes. They were dominant with their ground attack, featuring Yasin Willis and Dylan Edwards before turning to Jalen Dupree and Micah Johnson once the score got out of reach.

Sep 4, 2026; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks running back Dylan Edwards (1) runs the ball against the LIU Sharks during the first half at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This showed us that while Isaiah Marshall was encouraging as a passer in his first collegiate start, the Jayhawks are going to rely on him to orchestrate the rushing attack more than anything. The threat with his legs is too much for opposing defenses to ignore and should open up the rest of the offense.

There weren't many wacky concepts that offensive play caller Andy Kotelnicki employed in his first game back in Lawrence, so he didn't really give Missouri much ammo in terms of play calls. He kept most of them simple, with inside handoffs and ordinary route combinations. He undoubtedly has a few hidden tricks up his sleeve when the Tigers come to town.

It's hard to gauge the defense's effectiveness against a team the caliber of LIU. Of course, the Jayhawks dominated in all facets of the game, especially along the defensive line, but it remains to be seen if that success will last against a tougher opponent.

As we wrote about recently, the defensive ends appear to be the biggest strength of this defensive unit under D.K. McDonald. Michigan State transfer David Santiago and Leroy Harris III graded out as KU's two best defenders of the night, according to Pro Football Focus.

An unfortunate scenario that might end up working in Kansas' favor is the injury status of superstar running back Ahmad Hardy. He missed MU's season opener, and his health remains uncertain as he recovers from an offseason gunshot wound. Either way, the Tigers still have a strong tailback in Jamal Roberts, who needed just 13 carries to tally 143 yards and a game-sealing touchdown rush in last year's meeting.

While the Jayhawks had a real chance to upset the Tigers in 2025 going into the fourth quarter and even being tied at halftime, it was evident that a skill gap existed in the trenches. The hope is that KU has improved to the point where it'll be able to hold up for a full 60 minutes.

Missouri's SEC-caliber talent should give the Tigers an advantage over Kansas, but if the Jayhawks can play a clean game and keep the offense moving for all four quarters, they should have a chance to stay competitive.

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