War, what is it good for?
A Week 2 non-conference college football game, for one.
Border War, and its recently announced official kickoff time, is back on a football field for the first time in 14 years on Sept. 6, when Missouri football hosts Kansas in Columbia to reignite the rivalry between the old conference enemies.
The Tigers open their 2025 campaign Thursday, Aug. 28, against Central Arkansas on Faurot Field, part of a six-game homestand to begin the season. That run includes visits from fellow College Football Playoff hopefuls South Carolina and Alabama, but ask around Mid-Missouri and the visit from the Jayhawks may just be the marquee game.
The Tribune is analyzing the offseason of each of Mizzou’s 2025 opponents to get you up to speed with the new rosters and coaching staffs after a busy offseason.
Here’s what to know about Kansas in 2025, including key additions, coaching changes and playmakers to keep an eye on when the Jayhawks come to Columbia for the first time since 2006.
Who are the opposing names to know when Missouri football hosts Kansas?
Quarterback: Jalon Daniels returns as the Jayhawks’ starter for the fourth full season, with 2025 being his sixth total year in Lawrence. Last season started out poorly for Daniels, as he was highly turnover prone in a 1-5 run to open a campaign the Jayhawks finished 5-7. At his best he’s a dynamic dual-threat player who can take control of games — as he showed in KU’s 4-2 finish to last year. At his worst, he threw 12 interceptions in 12 games with a 57% completion percentage.
Offensive playmaker: Daniel Hishaw Jr. looks likely to take the reins at running back after spending most of his career as a backup. He’s been productive as a change-of-pace player, averaging 5.3 yards per carry in his career, which has seen him tally 1,490 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns over five seasons. Taking over for Devin Neal is no small task, but Hishaw has plenty of reps under his belt.
Defensive playmaker: Dean Miller, a 6-foot-5 edge rusher, returns for his final season after leading the Jayhawks with 6.0 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss last season. He’s perhaps the most disruptive player on the defensive front for KU.
What did the offseason look like for Jayhawks?
Key additions: Bangally Kamara (LB, South Carolina); Emmanuel Henderson (WR, Alabama); DJ Graham (CB, Utah State); Jahlil Hurley (CB, Alabama); Justice Finkley (DE, Texas)
Key losses: Devin Neal (RB); Cobee Bryant (CB); Mello Dotson (CB); Bryce Cabeldue (OL); Luke Grimm (WR); Quentin Skinner (WR); Jereme Robinson (DE); JB Brown (LB); Bai Jobe (DE)
Key coaching changes: Jim Zebrowski (offensive coordinator); DK McDonald (defensive coordinator)
The Jayhawks experienced a lot of turnover. More than half of their two-deep from the 2024 depth chart is no longer on the roster.
All seven players who caught more than 100 yards worth of passes for the Jayhawks last season have graduated. Their two starting corners were NFL undrafted free agent pickups. Their 4,300-career-yards running back was a sixth-round draft pick to the Saints. Three of the five players who had three or more sacks for the defense last season have moved on.
There are a lot of solid pieces to replace.
Head coach Lance Leipold and his staff — which includes two new coordinators who were promoted internally — have added some nice pieces to supplement the players who were further down the depth chart.
Henderson, a Bama transfer at wideout, is a 6-1 receiver that looks likely to be a primary target for Daniels. Kamara has five years of Power-conference experience between South Carolina and Pitt and should make an early impact in Lawrence. Hishaw and Daniels could form a good duo in the run game.
Early forecast for Mizzou vs. Kansas
Let’s give a hand to the schedule-makers for putting this on the lineup in an otherwise dull Week 2 slate in college football. We’re not entirely sold that either coach will want a game as meaningful to the respective fan bases as this on the schedule as early as Sept. 6, but they’re getting it, and Mizzou better be ready for a fight.
You could sell us on a few versions of the Jayhawks.
Big 12 contenders in Year 5 of Leipold’s tenure? Sure, we believe it.
A 5-7 team that lost a bulk of its most impactful players and comes to Columbia looking disjointed and lost? That wouldn’t make us blink twice, either.
However it shakes out, this is a must-win matchup for Missouri. Mizzou has, on paper, recruited better this offseason. Mizzou has a better recent track record. The game is on Mizzou’s home turf.
The Tigers should beat Kansas and, at least for a few months, both the football and basketball Border War titles should reside in Columbia.
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