What a Win Over Missouri Would Mean for Lance Leipold and Kansas Football

The Kansas football program and head coach Lance Leipold have a lot to gain from a victory over Missouri in the Border War on Friday night.

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Kansas Jayhawks are set to welcome the Missouri Tigers back to Lawrence for what should be a high-intensity matchup between these two long hated rivals on Friday night inside David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium for the 122nd edition of the Border War (or Border Showdown as some call it).

It’s the first time since 2005 that Missouri has made its way to Lawrence as the two teams started playing their annual Big 12 matchups at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, from 2007 to 2011 before the Tigers decided to move to the SEC in 2012.

Despite all but one of the Arrowhead matchups ending in a loss for KU, they featured some of the best moments in this historic rivalry – including the 2007 game that had the highest of stakes on the line and was recently turned into a sports documentary.

This rivalry has produced plenty of meaningful matchups over the years, but Friday night’s edition carries added weight for the Jayhawks this season.

Confidence

An upset win over the Tigers could be the catalyst to give this Kansas team the momentum they need heading into what will be a highly publicized international contest versus Arizona State in London next weekend.

The timing of that game coming off what will likely be an emotionally taxing game against Missouri, combined with the travel, time change and large-scale environment, presents its own set of challenges. Coming off a tough loss to Missouri will only make it tougher.

But if KU can muster a win on Friday, it could give a huge boost to this team before heading to London and give the team confidence when they face other tough competition once the Big 12 slate truly kicks off in a few weeks.

READ MORE: 3 Losing Streaks the Kansas Jayhawks Must End in 2026

Bowl eligibility

A win against Missouri would also seriously increase KU’s chances of reaching a bowl game this year.

In this writer’s opinion, the Jayhawks need at least a 3-1 start to the season if they hope to realistically have a chance to go bowling with the tough schedule they have in conference this year. And the Missouri matchup is arguably the toughest game on the schedule for the Jayhawks all season.

So, if KU can manage to win on Friday, they’ll likely secure that 3-1 or better start and have a great chance of pulling off a few more upsets to reach the six-win mark – which would be the first time in three years.  

Signature win

A victory over Missouri would be in contention for the best victory of head coach Lance Leipold’s career at Kansas.

The wins over Texas in Austin (2021) and at home versus No. 6 Oklahoma in 2023 ended ugly losing streaks and were huge for the growth of the program. The Guaranteed Rate Bowl win over UNLV in December 2023 will always stand out with it being a postseason victory – something KU has only accomplished seven times in program history.

But beating a ranked Missouri team at home for the first time in nearly 20 years — with last year’s missed opportunity in Columbia still fresh and a five-year hiatus of the Border War looming after this year’s game — would put this into a category of its own and make it feel bigger than just a marquee win.

READ MORE: Why the 2026 Season Could Be Make or Break for Lance Leipold

It can also be seen as a win that Leipold needs.  

Leipold has had some big wins and big moments at KU – there’s no denying that. But he has struggled to win big games when there were expectations on the line heading into the game.

The Jayhawks failed to beat Missouri last year, despite being in great position to do so. They have failed to beat K-State the five times they’ve faced them during Leipold’s tenure. They fell short against TCU at home the day they hosted College GameDay for the first time in school history (Jalon Daniels’ injury in the first half also played a big role). And they came up just shy in the Liberty Bowl against Arkansas in 2022.

The Missouri game presents the opportunity for some redemption for Leipold.

A win would go a long way toward silencing some of the criticism – and would likely solidify Leipold’s legacy in Lawrence for years to come.  

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