Kansas has fallen to Missouri in what some would call an upset.
The Tigers defeated the Jayhawks 42-31, earning bragging rights in the border war rivalry. It was a back-and-forth contest, but Missouri made precise plays in the final quarter and came up with key stops.
Let's take a look three takeaways from the Jayhawks first loss of the season.
Kansas’ Disastrous Second Quarter
Although the Jayhawks at one point led 21-6, an unsettling second quarter let the Tigers get back into the game. In the second period, Kansas ran just four plays for minus 18-yards along with a safety.
Kansas became the first FBS team in a decade to get outgained by 200-plus yards and not trail at the break.
Jalon Daniels Comes Up Short in QB Battle
Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels threw for 223 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, while Missouri’s Beau Pribula posted 334 yards, three touchdowns, and no picks. In a game where the Jayhawks needed their sixth-year senior to play Superman, Daniels couldn’t quite deliver the plays to get them over the hump.
It’s important to note that Daniels tried to give Kansas a late lead, but a dropped pass from Emanuel Henderson Jr. spoiled their chances.
Kansas Couldn’t Stop Missouri’s Run Game
Missouri running backs Jamal Roberts and Ahmad Hardy each rushed for more than 100 yards, as Kansas offered little resistance to the ground game and routinely gave up big gains.
Kansas’ running backs combined for just 11 yards. Without any support on the ground, the Jayhawks’ offense became one-dimensional in the border war, sealing their downfall.
Kansas Gets Cut From Top 2026 Point Guard's Final Schools
Kansas has missed out on one the most sought-after recruits in the 2026 class.
Five-Star point guard Deron Rippey Jr. announced on Thursday he's cutting the Jayhawks as a potential landing spot. He is now down to 10 schools including Louisville, North Carolina, Miami, Syracuse, Alabama, Kentucky, Tennesse, Duke, North Carolina State, and Texas.
The junior is the No. 1 point guard and No 13-prospect overall in the 2026 class. Rippey was named the 2025 Gatorade New Jersey Boys Basketball Player of the Year after averaging 16.2 points, 5.3 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.2 steals leading Blair Academy to the Prep Open State Tournament championship.
Some believe Rippey canceled his visit to Kansas due to fellow five-star point guard Taylen Kinney being rumored as the co-favorite to land in Lawrence after his recent visit to KU in August. This past season, Kinney averaged 20.1 points, 5.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.3 steals with Overtime Elite. Kentucky also conducted an in-home visit to Rippey's house on Wednesday. He announced cutting the Jayhawks following the visit.
Kansas has yet to land a commitment in its 2026 recruiting class. All eyes now turn to Kinney to see if he’ll be the first to get the ball rolling for the Jayhawks.