KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The historic Border War rivalry between Kansas and Missouri is back — this time in football.
After the two schools announced last October the basketball edition of MU vs. KU would be renewed, many fans expected there could soon be an announcement for football, too. But football scheduling is tricky because games are planned years in advance, so additional logistical maneuvering was required in order to mesh the teams’ upcoming schedules.
The schools were eventually able to work it all out, agreeing to a four-game deal that KU announced Saturday.
“This agreement renews one of college football’s most historic rivalries and we believe Jayhawk fans will enjoy the competition,” KU athletic director Jeff Long said in a news release. “This will be a great experience for our students, student-athletes and fans to have the Border Showdown games on campus, and look forward to seeing that excitement at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.”
The two teams will meet for their first game on Sept. 6, 2025 in Columbia. Then the venue shifts to Lawrence in 2026. After a brief break, KU and MU will again play in 2031 (Columbia) and 2032 (Lawrence).
“We are very excited about renewing this historic rivalry that our fans are so passionate about,” MU athletic Jim Sterk said in a release. “College football is better with rivalries like this, and our fans deserve to have it return. We’re pleased to make this happen, and we look forward to restoring this important tradition at Mizzou.”
One of college football’s most historic annual conflicts had gone dormant since Mizzou broke from the Big 12 and jumped to the SEC in late 2011. Perhaps it’s befitting of such a fierce rivalry — one whose sentiments stretch back to an actual armed dispute, America’s Civil War — that even its all-time series record remains a point of contention:
Kansas claims that it’s 56-55-9 in favor of MU, while Mizzou contends it should be 57-54-9. The ongoing disagreement stems from controversy surrounding disputed game outcomes at the end of the 1960 season.
The last time the two teams met in football was on Nov. 26, 2011 at Arrowhead Stadium. Mizzou won that game 24-10 before leaving for the SEC.
In men’s basketball, the Border War returns Dec. 12 on neutral ground: Kansas City’s Sprint Center. The next four games in the series alternate between Lawrence and Columbia before returning to the Sprint Center in 2025.
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