Missouri Shakes Off Rough Start To Beat Kansas

Kansas blocked a Missouri field goal early Friday night and ran it back 88 yards for a touchdown. For a few minutes, it looked like the rivalry's first Kansas win since 2001.

No. 23 Missouri did not stay rattled. The Tigers beat Kansas 38-21, their first win in Lawrence since 2001 and their first game there at all since 2005.

The start was ugly. Missouri had that field goal blocked and, before the night was over, had a second one blocked too. The Tigers committed four false starts and could not get any push up front. They trailed 7-0 before their offense found any rhythm.

The Tigers answered with Jamal Roberts breaking a 64-yard touchdown run, the longest of his career, tying it at 7. Kansas answered back to lead 14-7, and Cayden Lee's 27-yard touchdown catch tied it again at 14 with 30 seconds left in the half.

The third quarter belonged to Robert Woodyard Jr. The Missouri linebacker fell on a fumble by Kansas quarterback Isaiah Marshall at the Kansas 35-yard line, and Austin Simmons found Donovan Olugbode for the go-ahead touchdown.

On the first snap of Kansas's next possession, Woodyard stepped in front of a Marshall throw and returned it 28 yards, setting up Xai'Shaun Edwards' touchdown run. Missouri led 28-14 before Kansas had time to answer.

Kansas cut it to 28-21 when Marshall found Nahzae Cox, but Missouri closed the door with a fourth-down touchdown pass to Brett Norfleet and cruised from there.

Both quarterbacks were making just their second career starts, after each opened the season by blowing out an overmatched team, Simmons in a 54-14 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Marshall in a 51-6 win over Long Island. Simmons was sharp again against a real opponent, going 19 of 29 for 292 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Marshall found this test rougher: 168 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions and 20 carries that gained only 23 yards.

"Didn't flinch," coach Eli Drinkwitz said of Simmons afterward. "Made incredible reads. Didn't make very many misses."

The crowd of 32,000 was a sellout, but a smaller one than this rivalry is used to. The east grandstand at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium is under construction as part of a stadium overhaul, and capacity is trimmed into the low 30,000s for the whole season.

Disruptor Sports previewed the rivalry's return to Lawrence on Thursday, when Missouri left tackle Cayden Green was working back from injury and running back Ahmad Hardy was out. By Friday night, none of that mattered as much as what Woodyard did in the middle of the field.

"The way he threw the ball was crazy," Missouri edge rusher Darris Smith said of Simmons.