
Kansas Falls in Border Showdown Matchup at Missouri
9/6/2025 6:35:00 PM | Football
With the setback, Kansas moves to 2-1 on the year while Missouri improves to 2-0.
Jalon Daniels led the Jayhawks with 223 yards and two touchdowns on 18-of-30 passing, while also rushing for a team-high 20 yards on nine attempts. DeShawn Hanika had a career-high six receptions for 74 yards and two touchdowns. Trey Lathan (13) and Lyrik Rawls (10) paced the KU defense with double-digit tackles, and Austin Alexander had six tackles and returned a fumble for a touchdown.Â
Kansas received the opening kickoff, but the Jayhawks were held without a first down before punting it over to the Tigers. Missouri needed five plays to cover 57 yards for the first score of the game, but KU's Tommy Dunn Jr. blocked the extra point to keep the score at 6-0. The Jayhawks then answered with a seven-play scoring drive, capped by a 15-yard touchdown pass from Daniels to Hanika. Laith Marjan's extra point put KU up for the first time at 7-6 with 8:09 to play in the opening quarter.
Three plays later, Kansas added to its advantage as the defense made a game-changing play. As Missouri's quarterback scrambled, Blake Herold came from behind and forced a fumble, which was recovered by Alexander and returned 28 yards for a score, making it 14-6 at the 6:53 mark of the quarter. After forcing another three-and-out, Kansas added to its lead with a one-yard touchdown run by Daniels, making the score 21-6, which is where it stood at the end of the first.Â
Missouri scored 15 unanswered points in the second quarter to tie the score at 21-all at halftime. Kansas ran just four offensive plays in the quarter, while MU scored a touchdown and made two field goals in addition to recording a safety.
Kansas started the second half on defense, and after Missouri drove the ball into KU territory the Jayhawks got a fourth down stop to take possession in the tie game at the 10:17 mark. Daniels engineered a 10-play scoring drive, including first down completions to Carson Bruhn and Hanika, which ended with a 26-yard field goal from Marjan as KU went back on top, 24-21. Missouri responded, however, with a 75-yard touchdown drive and regained the lead, 28-24 with 24 seconds remaining in the third.Â
That score remained as Kansas took possession at its own 8-yard line with 12:36 to play. Daniels again engineered a go-ahead drive, this time guiding the Jayhawks 92 yards in eight plays. The final play was the second touchdown pass of the game from Daniels to Hanika, who scored from six yards out and put KU ahead 31-28 with 8:45 to play.
From there, Missouri closed out the game with the final 14 points, scoring the go-ahead touchdown with 4:14 to play before icing the game with a 63-yard touchdown run at the 1:49 mark.Â
Now with non-conference play ended, Kansas will have its first open week of the season before hosting back-to-back conference games on Sept. 20 against West Virginia and Sept. 27 against Cincinnati at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.
Team Stats

KAN 0, MIZ 6
MIZ - Hardy,Ahmad 32 yd run (), 5 plays, 71 yards, TOP 02:09

KAN 7, MIZ 6
KAN - Hanika,DeShawn 15 yd pass from Daniels,Jalon (Marjan,Laith kick) 7 plays, 62 yards, TOP 02:41

KAN 14, MIZ 6
KAN - Alexander,Austin 28 yd fumble recovery (Marjan,Laith kick)

KAN 21, MIZ 6
KAN - Daniels,Jalon 1 yd run (Marjan,Laith kick), 6 plays, 53 yards, TOP 02:33

KAN 21, MIZ 13
MIZ - Coleman Jr.,Kevin 3 yd pass from Pribula,Beau (Meyer,Robert kick) 15 plays, 75 yards, TOP 07:03

KAN 21, MIZ 15
MIZ - 0 yd safety

KAN 21, MIZ 18
MIZ - Meyer,Robert 25 yd field goal 17 plays, 63 yards, TOP 08:40

KAN 21, MIZ 21
MIZ - Meyer,Robert 20 yd field goal 4 plays, 84 yards, TOP 00:28

KAN 24, MIZ 21
KAN - Marjan,Laith 26 yd field goal 11 plays, 53 yards, TOP 04:29

KAN 24, MIZ 28
MIZ - Norfleet,Brett 11 yd pass from Pribula,Beau (Meyer,Robert kick) 12 plays, 75 yards, TOP 05:24

KAN 31, MIZ 28
KAN - Hanika,DeShawn 6 yd pass from Daniels,Jalon (Marjan,Laith kick) 8 plays, 92 yards, TOP 03:51

KAN 31, MIZ 35
MIZ - Norfleet,Brett 27 yd pass from Pribula,Beau (Meyer,Robert kick) 10 plays, 75 yards, TOP 04:31

KAN 31, MIZ 42
MIZ - Roberts,Jamal 63 yd run (Meyer,Robert kick), 3 plays, 75 yards, TOP 00:56