Missouri safety Santana Banner had little to say about the Kansas Jayhawks in the days leading up to Friday night’s Border War contest in Lawrence.
Asked about what stands out about the Kansas matchup, Santana detailed as little as he could when outlining his expectations for the game, other than that it’s another obstacle in the path to the College Football Playoffs.
There’s plenty to discuss around this historic, Civil War-laden rivalry, but neither program has truly let loose on the subject of this year’s game in the days leading up to the game. The Kansas question, though, could simply be Banner not letting any piece of the game plan slip ahead of Friday.
Missouri, entering the contest as the No. 23 program in the country via the AP College Football Top 25, has dropped to a 5.5-point favorite on the road. The Tigers, trailing in the fourth quarter, ran away with last year’s meeting, 42-31, for a 1-0 start to this new era of the rivalry, which has gone to Missouri in four straight matchups since 2009.
Neither Kansas nor Missouri Left Much of a Trail Last Week
Both Kansas and Missouri handed down dominant Week 1 victories against a pair of lowly FCS programs.
Ole Miss transfer Austin Simmons, who served as the backup to Trinidad Chambliss during a historic Rebel run last year, completed 17 of 19 passes for four touchdowns and 252 yards in a 54-14 home win over Arkansas Pine-Bluff last week. The Kansas secondary, headlined by free safety Taylor Davis and corner Jalen Todd, is in for a major test in Week 2.
Likewise, third-year Kansas quarterback Isaiah Marshall completed 14 of 19 attempts for 246 yards and two touchdowns in a 51-6 win over Long Island last weekend. Led by linebacker Jeremiah Beasley in Week 1, Missouri’s defense must adjust from a Week 1 floater to a Jayhawk offense that features multiple run threats via Marshall, running backs Yasin Willis, Dylan Edwards and even third back Jalen Dupree, who all recorded carries last week against Long Island.
Marshall must complete those same eye-opening passes from Week 1 against an SEC defense, where he’ll receive a true test in the pass game, even with the Andy Kotelnicki playbook of schemes to rely on. With an over/under of 50.5 points, some of those must come through the air for the Jayhawks if they’re going to make a late night of it with the Tigers.
Why Did the Spread Drop for Kansas vs. Missouri?
The stakes for this game are high.
Spreads aren’t exactly predictions after all, but the oddsmakers certainly like this matchup as a gridiron rivalry that’ll become one of the better contests of the weekend. Kansas is gunning for a sold-out stadium, which will be limited in capacity as the Lawrence project continues through the end of the 2026 regular season.
It’s the second game of the season for both teams, and that’s where this one-possession spread is truly rooted. Neither staff can say one way or another they have the drop on the other – it’s going to be won in the moment. You shouldn’t want it any other way.
