Sep 6, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers tight end Brett Norfleet (87) celebrates his touchdown against the Kansas Jayhawks in the first quarter of the Border War at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. / Amber Winkler/MissouriOnSI

It was a battle as old as time, and with each passing year, it still was a timeless tradition.

From 1891 to 2011, the only time the University of Missouri and the University of Kansas did not face each other was during the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918.

The battles continued in 1919 Then Missouri left the Big 12 for the SEC in 2012, and a regional rivalry that originated during the Civil War era went silent, with fans unsure about the future. After a 14-year hiatus, the “Border War” returned Saturday in Columbia, Missouri, where Kansas and Mizzou squared off in a heated battle that came down to the wire.

In his second career start, Penn State transfer quarterback Beau Pribula threw for 334 yards and three touchdowns in a 42-31 Tigers win. Pribula was the true star of the game for the Tigers (2-0), who at one point in the second quarter were trailing 21-6 to the Jayhawks (2-1). At that moment, they realized it wasn’t Central Arkansas anymore… it was their fiercest rival for over a century.

Pribula converted a pair of fourth downs on Mizzou’s go-ahead scoring drive, the second of which saw him hit tight end Brett Norfleet for a 27-yard score.

Following the Jayhawks punting the ball away late, Mizzou running back Jamal Roberts ripped off a 63-yard touchdown that sent CoMo into a frenzy and Lawrence, KS into a depression.

Mizzou’s running back tandem of Roberts and Ahmad Hardy were both excellent — each cleared the century mark in the game.

Mizzou’s defense had a great game overall despite KU’s 31 points. The Jayhawks averaged just 5.4 yards per play on the afternoon, and with the victory on Saturday, the Tigers have now won 4 consecutive games in this series.