Missouri Tigers at Kansas Jayhawks

QUARTERBACK

• Austin Simmons leads MIZ's passing this season

  13.26 Y/A

  Austin Simmons has produced 252 passing yards at 13.26 yards per attempt for Missouri in 2026, completing 89.5% with a 4-0 TD-INT line over 1 game. That opening line combines efficiency with ball security; no Kansas defensive comparison is supplied.

• Isaiah Marshall leads KU's passing this season

  12.95 Y/A

  Isaiah Marshall has 246 passing yards at 12.95 yards per attempt for Kansas in 2026, completing 73.7% with a 2-0 TD-INT line over 1 game. That opening line shows efficiency without an interception; no Missouri defensive comparison is supplied.

TRENCHES

• KU's front holds runners to 54 fewer yards per game

  54 YPG

  Through 2026-09-10, KU allowed 35 rushing yards per game over 1 game, 54 fewer than MIZ’s 89 over 1 game. Opponent identity and rushing approach are not supplied, limiting any schedule-adjusted comparison.

PACE & SCRIPT

• KU's defense gives up 8 fewer points per game

  8 PPG

  MIZ is at 14 points allowed per game over 1 game; KU is at 6 over 1 game. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-09-10.

TURNOVERS

• KU's defense takes the ball away 1 more time per game

  1 TO

  Through 2026-09-10, KU recorded 1 takeaway per game over 1 game, while MIZ recorded 0 over 1 game. With no opponent or game-script context supplied, the difference cannot establish either defense’s underlying quality.

COACHING

• MIZ gives away 25 fewer penalty yards per game

  25 YDS

  MIZ is at 35 penalty yards per game over 1 game; KU is at 60 over 1 game. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-09-10.

• KU's staff goes for it 1 more time per game on fourth down

  1 GOES

  MIZ is at 2 fourth-down attempts per game over 1 game; KU is at 3 over 1 game. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-09-10.

MISMATCH

• KU's ground game against MIZ's — 277 rush yards a game to 205

  277 VS 205

  Kansas averaged 277 rushing yards to Missouri’s 205, the matchup’s widest per-game gap, with each based on one game. The comparison favors KU’s ground production, but no Missouri run-defense split shows how that attack matches up.

COVERAGE

• KU gets off the field on third down 7.7% more often

  7.7%

  Through 2026-09-10, KU allowed a 15.4% third-down rate over 1 game, compared with MIZ’s 23.1% over 1 game. The opponents and third-down situations are not supplied, so the 7.7-point gap remains a one-game comparison.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

• MIZ lead the series with KU since 2025

  1-0 SERIES

  MIZ leads the series with KU since 2025 at 1-0, taking the only meeting 42-31 at home on Sep. 6, 2025. This matchup shifts to KU, but no facts were supplied on what has changed for either side.

REPLACEMENT

• Malae Fonoti (RB) is out for the season for MIZ

  OUT FOR SEASON

  Missouri’s offense lost RB Malae Fonoti for the remainder of the 2026 season after he tore his ACL in the season opener, per the Associated Press on Sep. 8. The report did not identify who absorbs his work.

• Ahmad Hardy (RB) is out for MIZ

  OUT

  Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy remained weeks away and had not returned to practice while recovering from a gunshot wound, per the Associated Press on Sep. 8. His OUT designation affects the offense, but no replacement workload was supplied.

• Cam Pickett (WR) is questionable for KU

  QUESTIONABLE

  Kansas WR Cam Pickett was a game-time decision with a leg injury after missing the LIU game, per ESPN/Pete Thamel on Sep. 9. His QUESTIONABLE status leaves an offensive role unresolved close to the Missouri matchup, with no replacement identified.

• Cayden Green (OL) is probable for MIZ

  PROBABLE

  Missouri OL Cayden Green returned to practice after an undisclosed injury and was expected to play against Kansas, per On3/Pete Nakos on Sep. 9. His PROBABLE designation therefore points toward the offensive lineman being available.

SITUATIONAL

• MIZ converts fourth downs at a +33.3% clip

  33.3%

  MIZ converted 100% of fourth downs to KU’s 66.7%, a +33.3% gap over 1 current-2026 game through 2026-09-10. Attempt totals are not supplied, so the percentages show execution in that game without establishing a dependable fourth-down identity.

• MIZ moves the chains 4 more times per game

  4 FD

  MIZ is at 33 first downs per game over 1 game; KU is at 29 over 1 game. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-09-10.

• No. 23 Missouri at Kansas

  #23 AP

  Missouri enters at No. 23 in the AP poll with a 1-0 record, 182 points and a two-place rise, while Kansas is unranked. That establishes the poll’s respect gap, but the supplied facts do not show whether Missouri’s ranking was earned this season or inherited.

THE SWEAT

• THE NUMBER

  KU 0–0

  Kansas Jayhawks +4.5 -110

• GROUND

  5 · 2

  Kansas Jayhawks +4.5 -110

• AIR

  32 · 75

  Kansas Jayhawks +4.5 -110

AFTER GARY

• KU +4.5 → +4.5

  GARY +0.45PP

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