LAWRENCE, Kan. (Interstat) — Austin Simmons threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns, leading Missouri to a 38-21 victory over Kansas on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in an NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision game at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. The announced attendance was 32,000. Missouri, the visiting team, improved to 1-0. Kansas fell to 1-1. The Tigers controlled the second half and answered each Kansas challenge, finishing with a 17-point win. Simmons, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound quarterback from Miami, Fla., completed 19 of 29 passes and also rushed twice for 8 yards. He spread the ball to multiple receivers and helped Missouri overcome an early special-teams miscue. Kansas, the home team, got 168 passing yards and two touchdown passes from Isaiah Marshall, but the Jayhawks could not keep pace down the stretch. The game featured big plays on offense and defense, including a blocked field goal return and two interceptions by the Missouri defense.

Simmons was the top star for Missouri. He threw touchdown passes to Cayden Lee, Donovan Olugbode and Brett Norfleet. Lee finished with six receptions for 120 yards and a score. Olugbode had six catches for 121 yards and a touchdown. Norfleet, a 6-foot-7 tight end from O’Fallon, Mo., caught three passes for 23 yards and a touchdown. Shaun Terry II added two receptions for 20 yards, and Naeshaun Montgomery had one catch for 12 yards. Missouri’s running game complemented Simmons. Jamal Roberts carried 28 times for 125 yards and a touchdown, including a 64-yard scoring run. He also had one reception for minus-4 yards. Xai’Shaun Edwards rushed 10 times for 45 yards and a touchdown. Matt Zollers attempted one pass without a completion. DaMarion Fowlkes returned a kickoff 18 yards. Brunno Reus punted four times for 202 yards, and Blake Craig handled kicking duties. The Tigers finished with a balanced attack that produced enough explosive plays to pull away.

Marshall led Kansas with 13 completions on 30 attempts for 168 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed 20 times for 23 yards and caught one pass for 6 yards. His touchdown passes went to Nik McMillan and Nahzae Cox. McMillan caught two passes for 52 yards and a score. Cox had one reception for 10 yards and a touchdown. Keaton Kubecka added three catches for 38 yards. Carson Bruhn, a tight end, caught two passes for 34 yards and made one tackle. Cam Pickett had two receptions for 6 yards. Dylan Edwards rushed six times for 39 yards, caught one pass for 18 yards and returned one kickoff for 17 yards. Yasin Willis carried eight times for 18 yards and caught two passes for 10 yards. Tate Nagy had one rush for 1 yard. Cole Ballard completed his only pass for 6 yards. Matthew Gill punted four times for 158 yards. Martin Connington handled kicking duties for the Jayhawks. Kansas moved the ball in spurts but was hurt by missed opportunities and turnovers.

Missouri’s defense made key plays throughout. Nicholas Rodriguez recorded eight tackles and one sack. Robert Woodyard Jr. had six tackles and one interception. Santana Banner added six tackles. Kensley Louidor-Faustin finished with four tackles. Daeden Hopkins had three tackles and 1.5 sacks. Darris Smith recorded three tackles and one quarterback hurry. Donta Simpson contributed two tackles and 1.5 sacks. Jahlil Florence had one tackle and one interception. Elijah Dotson, Sione Laulea, Jeremiah Beasley, Trajen Greco, Langden Kitchen and Sterling Webb also contributed tackles. Chris Graves Jr. added one tackle. The Tigers’ pass rush and secondary play helped limit Kansas after the Jayhawks’ early success.

Kansas defenders were active. Trey Lathan led the Jayhawks with nine tackles. Corey Gordon had seven tackles and blocked a field goal. David Santiago added five tackles. Austin Alexander, Quincy Davis, Mason Ellis, Dakyus Brinkley and Jalen Todd each finished with four tackles. Taylor Davis had three tackles. Despite those efforts, Missouri’s offense found answers. The Tigers scored on a 64-yard run by Roberts, a 27-yard pass from Simmons to Lee, an 8-yard pass from Simmons to Olugbode, a 10-yard run by Edwards, a 32-yard field goal by Craig and a 13-yard pass from Simmons to Norfleet. Kansas countered with an 88-yard blocked field goal return by Austin Alexander, a 20-yard touchdown pass from Marshall to McMillan and a 10-yard touchdown pass from Marshall to Cox. Connington’s extra points and Craig’s kicks helped shape the final margin.

The game’s key plays unfolded in order. In the first quarter, Craig’s 36-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Gordon. In the second quarter, Connington missed a 52-yard field goal attempt. Kansas then broke through when Alexander returned a blocked field goal 88 yards for a touchdown. Missouri answered with Roberts’ 64-yard touchdown run. Marshall connected with McMillan for a 20-yard touchdown, but Simmons found Lee for a 27-yard score before halftime. In the third quarter, Simmons hit Olugbode for an 8-yard touchdown, and Edwards ran 10 yards for another score. Marshall answered with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Cox. Missouri put the game away in the fourth quarter on Craig’s 32-yard field goal and Simmons’ 13-yard touchdown pass to Norfleet. That sequence gave the Tigers the final 17-point margin.

Missouri is scheduled to host Troy on Saturday, Sept. 19. Kansas is set to host Arizona State on Saturday, Sept. 19. The Tigers will carry a perfect record into that matchup, while the Jayhawks will seek to rebound at home. Both teams will look to build on early-season results as conference play approaches.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Missouri 30, Kansas 28. Interstat’s ELO system gave Missouri a 62.8 percent probability to win. Kansas had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 4.5. The total score of 59 went under the over/under line of 51.5.