Kansas vs. Missouri Football Rivalry Shifts to Friday Night on National TV

The long-standing college football feud between the two schools will return to Lawrence this year with a prime-time national broadcast.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 8:33am

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A fractured, abstract painting depicting a college football game, with sharp geometric planes in crimson, blue, gold, and black colors representing the intense rivalry between the two teams.The long-standing rivalry between the University of Kansas and University of Missouri football teams takes center stage in a visually striking cubist interpretation.Lawrence Today

The bitter college football rivalry between the University of Kansas Jayhawks and the University of Missouri Tigers is returning to Lawrence this year, with the game moved to a Friday night national television broadcast on September 11, 2026. The match-up, known as the 'Friday Night Battle' or 'The StorageMart Border Showdown,' is considered one of the top regional rivalries in college sports, dating back to Civil War-era tensions between the two states.

Why it matters

The Kansas-Missouri football rivalry is a longstanding tradition in the Midwest, with the two schools having faced off on the gridiron 121 times since 1891. The move to a Friday night national broadcast elevates the profile of the game and provides an opportunity for a new generation of fans to experience the intensity of this regional feud.

The details

The schools announced that the 2026 edition of the Kansas-Missouri game will kick off on Friday, September 11, giving Kansas an extra day to prepare before their trip to London to face Arizona State. The match-up will be broadcast nationally, making it one of the only college football games available that weekend.

  • The Kansas-Missouri game will be played on Friday, September 11, 2026.
  • The last time Kansas hosted the rivalry game was in 2005.

The players

University of Kansas

The University of Kansas is a public research university located in Lawrence, Kansas. The Kansas Jayhawks are the athletic teams of the university.

University of Missouri

The University of Missouri is a public research university located in Columbia, Missouri. The Missouri Tigers are the athletic teams of the university.

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What they’re saying

“Congratulations. When are you leaving the family?”

— Eric Thomas' father-in-law, Die-hard Missouri Tigers fan

“We want KU to lose every game. We want them to suffer.”

— Missouri Tigers fans

What’s next

The schools have announced the 2026 Kansas-Missouri game, but fans hope to see the rivalry renewed more frequently in the coming years, with additional games scheduled between 2027 and 2030.

The takeaway

The Kansas-Missouri football rivalry is a deeply rooted regional feud that has captivated fans for generations. The move to a Friday night national broadcast will introduce this historic matchup to a wider audience and reignite the passion between the two fan bases.