Missouri crosses the state line as a road favorite on Friday night, and the spread has already moved. The No. 25 Tigers opened at 6.5 points over Kansas and now sit at 5.5, a shift toward the home side ahead of the first Border Showdown played in Lawrence in more than two decades. Both teams are 1-0 after lopsided openers, and both are breaking in a new starting quarterback. FOX has the game in a national prime-time window.
Last Updated: Tuesday, September 8, 2026
Missouri vs. Kansas — Time & How to Watch
| Where | David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, Lawrence Kansas |
| When | Friday, September 11 – 8:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | FOX |
Missouri vs. Kansas Odds Preview
Missouri arrives at 1-0 and ranked 25th in the AP Top 25 after a 54-14 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The headline was Austin Simmons. The Ole Miss transfer threw for 252 yards and four touchdowns without an interception in his first start for Eli Drinkwitz, who finished 8-5 last season. However, an FCS opener says little about how a quarterback handles a hostile road crowd.
The bigger question is on the ground. All-American running back Ahmad Hardy, who led the SEC with 1,649 rushing yards last season, missed the season opener and his availability has not been resolved. Left tackle Cayden Green also sat out Week 1. Meanwhile, the defense is close to a full rebuild after losing pass rushers Damon Wilson II and Zion Young to the NFL Draft plus leading tackler Josiah Trotter.
Kansas is also 1-0, and the Jayhawks did their own damage in Week 1. Lance Leipold’s team rolled past Long Island 51-6 behind redshirt sophomore Isaiah Marshall, who completed 14 of 19 passes for 246 yards and two scores in his first career start. That was a soft landing spot. Kansas went 5-7 last season and lost quarterback Jalon Daniels to the NFL, then reloaded through the portal. In contrast to Missouri, the Jayhawks return their offensive coordinator, Andy Kotelnicki.
Kansas has its own availability questions. Linebacker Bam Crouch did not practice Monday after an upper-body injury against Long Island, and receiver Cam Pickett remains limited with a leg issue. This is a non-conference meeting between an SEC team and a Big 12 team, so neither result touches a league race. The rivalry stakes are still real. Missouri won last September’s renewal 42-31 in Columbia after trailing 21-6 early.
Missouri vs. Kansas Odds
| Spread | Moneyline | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | -5.5 (-110) | -210 | O 50 (-110) |
| Kansas | +5.5 (-110) | +175 | U 50 (-110) |
Odds accurate as of Tuesday, September 8, 2026 via TheSpread.com. Odds change, get the latest NCAAF Odds – Futures – Props
Betting Angles for Missouri vs. Kansas
Start with the movement, because it is the cleanest signal on the board. This game opened with Missouri laying 6.5 points at -105 and Kansas taking 6.5 at -115. It now sits at Missouri -5.5 (-110) and Kansas +5.5 (-110). The moneyline traveled the same direction, from Missouri -235 down to -210 and Kansas +195 in to +175. The total has not budged from 50.
A move like that usually means one of two things. Either money came in on the home underdog, or the market took a second look at what Missouri showed against an FCS opponent and decided the gap is narrower than the summer number implied. The unresolved Hardy situation fits that reading. Missouri’s ground game was the engine last season, and the spread now has to price an offense that may be without its best runner and its starting left tackle.
The case for Missouri is straightforward. The Tigers have the more proven roster, the more experienced quarterback, and a recent head-to-head win over this same program. Simmons was efficient in his debut and has real SEC pedigree. Crossing 5.5 points against a team that went 5-7 last season is not a heavy lift for a ranked opponent, and getting a shorter number after the move is a better price than the one available last week.
The case for Kansas is situational. Friday night at home, a rivalry game with a two-decade layoff behind it, and a Missouri defense replacing most of its production. Rivalry games routinely ignore form, and last year’s meeting was tied 21-21 at halftime before Missouri pulled away. Still, the Jayhawks are leaning on a quarterback with one career start. Neither side of this number looks obviously mispriced, which is what a 5.5 usually means. There is more in our latest college football picks coverage.
Isaiah Marshall Faces His First Real Test
The single biggest variable here is the Kansas quarterback. Marshall won the job over Cole Ballard in fall camp and was efficient against Long Island, but his résumé before that start was thin — mostly designed runs as a change-of-pace option. Leipold has said both quarterbacks will play this season, a reminder that the job is not fully settled.
That matters for the total as much as the spread. A quarterback who leans on his legs, paired with a coordinator who likes to control possessions, can hold a game in the 40s. On the other hand, Missouri’s rebuilt front seven has not faced a Power Four offense yet, and chunk plays are how a 50 gets cleared in a hurry. Leaving the total untouched while moving the spread suggests the market sees uncertainty on both sides.
Missouri’s own quarterback question is quieter but not settled. Simmons has one start under new coordinator Chip Lindsey, and the Arkansas-Pine Bluff sample says little about how he reads pressure in a loud stadium. Both programs poured transfers into their rosters this offseason — 26 for Missouri, 31 for Kansas — another reason to treat early form with caution. See our recent SEC upset-alert breakdown for a similar early-season read.
Missouri vs. Kansas FAQ: Friday September 11, 2026
What time does the Missouri vs. Kansas game start?
Kickoff is set for 8:00 p.m. ET, which is 7:00 p.m. CT locally, on Friday, September 11, 2026. The Big 12 moved the game from Saturday to Friday so it could air nationally in a prime-time window. It is Week 2 for both programs.
What channel is the Missouri vs. Kansas game on?
The game airs nationally on FOX. Kansas Athletics and FOX both confirmed the network assignment for the Friday night Border Showdown broadcast. This is the first time the renewed rivalry has landed in a national Friday prime-time slot since the series resumed.
Where are Missouri and Kansas playing?
The game is at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kansas, with Kansas hosting. This is Missouri’s first trip to Lawrence since 2005, making it the first Border Showdown played on the Kansas campus in more than two decades. The 2025 renewal was played in Columbia.
Who won the last meeting between Missouri and Kansas?
Missouri won the most recent meeting 42-31 on September 6, 2025, in Columbia. Kansas jumped ahead 21-6 in the first half before the teams went to the break tied at 21. That game was the first football meeting between the schools since 2011, when Missouri left the Big 12 for the SEC.
Who is starting at quarterback for Missouri and Kansas?
Missouri starts Austin Simmons, a transfer from Ole Miss, while Kansas starts redshirt sophomore Isaiah Marshall. Both made their first start for their current program in Week 1. Marshall won the Kansas job over Cole Ballard in fall camp after Jalon Daniels exhausted his eligibility.