Mizzou Central

Live Blog: Mizzou Faces Kansas in Border War Battle

The Tigers and Jayhawks square off for the first time since both teams were in the Big 12 conference 14 years ago.
Michael Stamps|
Sep 6, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers linebacker Josiah Trotter (40) celebrates a tackle in the first quarter of the Border War against the Kansas Jayhawks at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium.
Sep 6, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers linebacker Josiah Trotter (40) celebrates a tackle in the first quarter of the Border War against the Kansas Jayhawks at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. | Amber Winkler/MissouriOnSI

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Missouri Tigers

COLUMBIA, Mo. — There’s never a dull moment when the Missouri Tigers face a quality opponent at home, and that was once again the case when the Kansas Jayhawks rolled into Columbia for the Border War. 

The game ended with a 42-31 score, a game that went back and forth for most of it. Quarterback Beau Pribula and running back Ahmad Hardy were the stars of the show on offense, as was wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. 

Missouri’s offense was clicking all night, finishing with 583 yards in total compared to Kansas’ 284. The Tigers also outgained the Jayhawks by 204 yards in the first half, but the score was tied at 21 apiece. 

The Jayhawks got out to a fast start, leading 21-6 at the end of the first half. Pribula and Coleman finally got going to get some points on the board for the Tigers, which turned the game around in the second half. 

Neither team could pull away in the second half, with both defenses starting to step up. Safety Jalen Catalon and cornerback Dreyden Norwood finished with six and five tackles apiece. For Kansas, transfer linebacker Trey Lathan finished with a dominant 13 tackles. 

Both squads ping-ponged the lead back and forth in the fourth quarter, going all the way down to the wire. After Brett Norfleet gave the Tigers the lead late in the fourth quarter, Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels targeted receiver Emmanuel Henderson, who happened to be wide open on a third-down conversion attempt. 

Henderson dropped the ball, giving possession back to the Tigers. This was a gut-wrenching drop that paved the way for Missouri to win. A 63-yard rush from Jamal Roberts capped it off, alongside a Daylan Carnell interception. 

After the victory, the Tigers continue a home stretch next week against Louisiana. That game kicks off at 3:00 p.m. CT on Friday, Sept. 13 at Faurot Field.

Final stats

Final stats from Missouri's 42-31 win over the Kansas Jayhawks.
Final stats from Missouri's 42-31 win over the Kansas Jayhawks. | Mizzou Athletics

Fourth Quarter

  • Daylan Carnell picks off Daniels in tip-toe fashion, giving the Tigers the ball back. That will likely end the game.
  • Running back Jamal Roberts drops in a 63-yard rushing touchdown to extend Missouri's lead. That was the longest run of his career.
  • A drop from Henderson on third down sends the ball back to the Tigers with under three minutes to play. Henderson had issues with drops at Alabama and that haunts him in a clutch moment in this game.
  • Pribula converts on two fourth downs, finding Norfleet wide open for his second score of the game, while simultaneously regaining the lead.
  • Pribula takes a huge sack from Leroy Harris, the fourth sack of the game for the Jayhawks. Looking at a third-and-17, the Tigers could not convert.
  • Daniels finds Hanika for their second touchdown connection of the game. Kansas is back on top with 8:45 to play.
  • Daniels is finding multiple gaps in the Missouri defense down the field. He just hit Hanika and Emmanuel Henderson for 24 and 25 yards, respectively.
  • After a good defensive drive to get the ball back for Missouri, three straight handoffs from Hardy and the Tigers send it right back to Kansas with 12:45 to play.

Third Quarter

  • The Tigers end the half with a lead and the Jayhawks are facing a second-and-long to start the final quarter.
  • Pribula finds tight end Brett Norfleet for a 11-yard touchdown to capture the lead. A long, drawn-out drive comes to a positive end for the Tigers.
  • The Kansas defense has done an excellent job of keeping Pribula from escaping the pocket. Keenan Caldwell just delivered the third Jayhawk sack of the game.
  • After converting on their first two third downs on the first drive, the Tigers come up empty with a no-good third and fourth down attempt. Two good deflections from linebacker Trey Lathan and cornerback Jalen Todd aided in it.

Halftime stats

Stats from Missouri's home matchup against the Kansas Jayhawks in the first half.
Stats from Missouri's home matchup against the Kansas Jayhawks in the first half. | Mizzou Athletics

Second Quarter

After a monster 50-yard reception from Pribula to Coleman, the Tigers tie it up at halftime with a chip shot from Meyer. He's now two-for-two this game.

  • Meyer just drilled the first field goal of his career with the Tigers from 25 yards out. This came shortly after Missouri opted to go for it on fourth-and-10 from the 31.
  • Another turnover scare for the Tigers, with Hardy coughing the ball up. Right tackle Keagen Trost fell on it in time.
  • Wide receiver Marquis Johnson went down after a pass thrown his way was broken up. He ran off the field on his own weight, but showed a slight limp on the way off.
  • A potential turning point with 9:49 to play: Zion Young sacks Daniels and the ball comes out, with the ball rolling into the end zone. The Tigers get two points from the safety and will now get the ball back, only trailing 21-15.
  • The Tigers needed an offensive repsonse and they got it on a fourth-and-3, with Pribula finding Kevin Coleman Jr. in the endzone. Meyer also nailed his extra point attempt.
  • Kansas just recorded their second offsides penalty of the game. It's also the second time the Tigers have taken advantage of the penalty with a throw down the field, this time with Pribula finding Joshua Manning for 12 yards.

First Quarter

  • Xavier Loyd recorded a monster third-down conversion to keep Missouri's drive alive heading into the second quarter. That was the first catch of his Missouri career and was one of the best balls of the day so far for Pribula.
  • Daniels is starting to pick the Missouri secondary apart. He took advantage of a mismatch with safety Daylan Carnell and wide receiver Levi Wentz. This led to a 1-yard rushing touchdown from Daniels.
  • Missouri's offensive line has not held up well so far. Beau Pribula's been pressured frequently and was dropped for three yards by defensive tackle Tommy Dunn Jr. on second down. The run game has quickly slowed down for Hardy and the Tigers, as well.
  • The first big error of Beau Pribula's career as a Missouri Tiger has struck. Pribula fumbles in their own territory and Jayhawk cornerback Austin Alexander returns it to the endzone to extend the Kansas lead to 14-6.
  • Jalon Daniels and the Jayhawks quickly respond, with Daniels finding tight end DeShawn Hanika in the end zone. Meyer's early missed extra point is already making a difference.
  • Ahmad Hardy scores the first touchdown of the game from 32 yards. He recorded 48 rushing yards on the opening drive of the game. The first extra point of the game attempted by Meyer was blocked and nearly returned for a score by the Jayhawks.
  • Per Pete Thamel, Kansas linebacker Bangally Kamara will play against the Tigers in Week 2.
  • The Missouri Tigers won the coin toss and elected to defer. The Jayhawks will receive to start the first half.

Pregame

  • A University of Missouri staple, "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers, was played in pregame warm-ups. The song is typically played at the break heading into the fourth quarter.
  • A plethora of prominent Missouri figures and recruits are in attendance for this matchup, including men's basketball head coach Dennis Gates and former basketball players Michael Porter Jr. and Kobe Brown. Gates was accompanied by nationally ranked 4-star 2026 basketball recruit Toni Bryant Jr.
  • A look at true freshman kicker Robert Meyer in pre-game warmups. Meyer is preparing for his first career collegiate start. Meyer missed multiple kicks in that warm up period.

Injuries

  • Kansas linebacker Bangally Kamara is a gametime decison, per Pete Thamel. After suffering a non-contact injury after their Week 0 matchup with Fresno State, but he will warm up in attempt to play against Missouri on Saturday.

TV and Radio Information

TV: ESPN2

Radio: Tiger Radio Network (Play-By-Play: Mike Kelly, Color: Howard Richards, Sideline: Chris Gervino)

Sirius XM: Home 192, Away 387

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Michael Stamps
MICHAEL STAMPS

Michael Stamps is attending the University of Missouri pursuing a degree in journalism. He joined Missouri Tigers On SI as a recruiting writer in 2023, but his beats have subsequently included football and basketball, plus recruiting. Michael is from Papillion, Neb.

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