The Border War is a historic rivalry in college athletics—especially football—and, in the eyes of many fans, one of the most intense in all of sports. The rivalry features the Missouri Tigers and the Kansas Jayhawks and dates back to the Civil War, when Jayhawkers from Kansas raided six Missouri towns. In retaliation, pro-Confederate forces from Missouri attacked Lawrence, Kan. These raids led to the depopulation of several western Missouri towns in an attempt to ease tensions.
The rivalry officially began on the field in 1891, and from 1907 to 2012, the schools competed annually in all sports as members of the same athletic conference. It is the oldest Division I rivalry west of the Mississippi River.
Missouri and Kansas have faced each other in football, basketball, baseball and other sports, but the football and basketball games draw the most attention. Fans regularly line up outside stadiums—sometimes for days—just to be among the first inside. Tailgates can last four to five hours or more, with many restaurants in the area packed with fans eager to soak in the atmosphere without paying the high ticket prices.
This rivalry is considered one of the most heated in college sports—not just because of its history, but also due to how evenly matched the teams have been over the years. Fans play a major role in fueling the intensity. At nearly every Missouri home football and basketball game, Mizzou fans express their disdain for Kansas by singing “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers. During rivalry games, designated sections for each fanbase help limit altercations, but tensions still run high.
Even during a 14-year break in football matchups and a six-year hiatus in basketball, the animosity between the schools remained. The rivalry resumed in recent years and picked up right where it left off.
One of the most memorable football games came in 2007 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., when Missouri defeated Kansas 36–28 after forcing a safety with 12 seconds remaining. In basketball, one of the most unforgettable moments came in 1997, when Mizzou edged Kansas 96–94 in double overtime at home.
Overall, the Missouri–Kansas rivalry remains one of the most passionate in all of sports—especially when Missouri comes out on top.
