Missouri travels to David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium Friday for the Border War with Kansas.
My Missouri vs. Kansas prediction examines whether Mizzou laying 5.5 points accurately reflects the matchup or gives the home underdog too many points.
Check out my college football picks for Week 2, with kickoff at 8 p.m. ET from David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kans.
TOP PICK
Who will win Missouri vs Kansas: Kansas +5.5
Missouri beat Kansas 42-31 as a 5.5-point home favorite last season, and Mizzou returns at the same spread this year. That number looks questionable given how similar these teams are from a personnel standpoint.
Mizzou returns 12 starters after bringing back 15 last season, while the Jayhawks improved from 10 returning starters to 12, according to college football guru Phil Steele. Both teams also have new starting quarterbacks and lost three of their top four receivers.
Week 1 did little to separate them. Missouri beat Arkansas-Pine Bluff 54-14 but failed to cover as a 56.5-point favorite, while Kansas covered in a 51-6 rout of Long Island University as a 44.5-point favorite.
Neither result came against meaningful competition, but Kansas at least exceeded market expectations in Week 1.
With limited evidence of a talent gap, Missouri -5.5 looks like a steep price.
COVERS INTEL: Kansas is 6-0 against the spread as a home underdog since 2023 with a +12.6 spread differential. 
Missouri vs Kansas Over/Under pick: Under 50.5
Both teams scored 50+ points in their openers, which could create plenty of Over interest with the total sitting at 50.5. Add a nationally televised FOX matchup to the equation, and the public could be enticed to chase the recent offensive production.
I'm not buying it. This is a step up in competition for both teams, and they won't able to score at will like last week.
Missouri vs Kansas combo
Logically speaking, the underdog is correlated with the Under. Think about it: If there are fewer points scored, that’s better for the team getting points. Right?
This 50.5 total is a lot of optimism in offenses with new quarterbacks who aren’t exactly offensive juggernauts historically.
Missouri vs Kansas combo
- Kansas +5.5
- Under 50.5
- Kansas +3.5 first-half spread
Missouri vs Kansas odds
For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.
- Spread: Missouri -5.5 | Kansas +5.5
- Over/Under: Over 50.5 (52%) | Under 50.5 (53%)
- Moneyline: Missouri 70% | Kansas 35%
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Missouri vs Kansas weather
The weather forecast in Columbia, Missouri, Saturday is calling for temperatures in the low-80s with a 7.0% chance of rain.
Check out our college football weather page for up-to-date info on every matchup.
Missouri vs Kansas trend to know
Missouri is 3-1 against the spread in its last four meetings with the Big XII. Find more college football betting trends for Missouri vs. Kansas.
How to watch Missouri vs Kansas
| Location | David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, Lawrence, Kans. |
| Date | Friday, Sept. 11, 2026 |
| Kickoff | 8 p.m. ET |
| TV | FOX |
Missouri vs Kansas latest injuries
Check out our college football injuries page for updates on every team.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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