3 Biggest Mizzou Storylines to Watch for in Border War Matchup vs. Kansas

Missouri heads into Lawrence, Kansas, with a 1-0 record following a 54-14 win against Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Week 1. Following the victory, three things stood out: Austin Simmons was in complete command of the offense, Jamal Roberts left room for improvement and the Tigers' pass rush created minimal pressure on the quarterback.

In the upcoming matchup against Kansas those three things will be increasingly prevelant. Here's why those three areas are the most important storylines in Friday's Border War.

Missouri's passing attack led by Austin Simmons

Mizzou quarterback prepares for kickoff. — Sep 3, 2026; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Austin Simmons (13) quarterback is seen prior to the game against the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Simmons had an impressive debut with 252 passing yards, four touchdowns and zero intercepetions in less than a half of action, but it was against an FCS opponent in Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Against the more formidable Kansas Jayhawks, his quick decision making and deep threat throws will be pivotal once again.

Kansas' secondary has not been the team's strong suit after giving up a season-high 334 passing yards to Beau Pribula last season. This year, the Jayhawks' starting cornerbacks are returners Jalen Todd and Austin Alexander, who each had subpar statistical seasons last year. The rest of the starter-level players in the secondary are composed of backup transfers and backup returners.

With all that being said, it's likely the Jayhawks secondary will not be a great threat to Missouri on Friday, which opens the door for Simmons to command a dynamic passing attack. After opening Week 1 with four straight passing attempts, the Tigers should look to replicate the aggressive pass-first offense out of the gate.

Jamal Roberts-led rushing game

Mizzou player celebrates. — Sep 3, 2026; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers running back Jamal Roberts (20) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions during the first half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One area of concern for the Tigers against UAPB was the run game, especially in the first half. The Tigers ran for 4.1 yards per carry in the opening half and starting back Jamal Roberts recorded similar statistics. In 13 attempts, Roberts ran for 47 yards and one touchdown.

With Ahmad Hardy missing his second straight game Friday and Week 1's second-string running back Malae Fonoti out for the season, the Tigers running back room will likely be led by Jamal Roberts and Xai'Shaun Edwards.

"That's probably the biggest point of concern we have right now with the depth chart," head coach Eli Drinkwitz said ahead of Friday's game.

Despite the slow start at running back, it is quite likely that Roberts' underwhelming season opener could be a fluke. After all, it was just his third start and he didn't even play an entire half of football. Last season against Kansas, Roberts was exceptional, accumulating 143 yards on 13 carries and notching a fan-favorite 63-yard touchdown.

The Tigers' success in the pass rush

Missouri went sackless in the first half against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and recorded one total sack across the entirety of the game. After losing Zion Young and Damon Wilson II it was expected that the Tigers may not have the same firepower at edge rusher in 2026, but the performance during the season opener showed greater room for improvement.

"We weren't able to win the sack battle," Drinkwitz said following the 54-14 victory. "(We) didn't force nearly enough pressure on the quarterback. So again, there's a lot of things that we're going to look back on and say we got to get this stuff fixed in a hurry."

The Tigers will look to starting edge rushers Darris Smith and Langden Kitchen to force more pressure on Friday. The two were highly praised in the offseason and against Kansas' quarterback Isaiah Marshall, they will be put to the test. Marshall is a dual-threat quarterback that won't be easy to bring down, but to come out on top of the Border War, Missouri will need to elevate their pass rush and contain the talented quarterback.

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