Missouri vs Kansas is finally back. For the first time since 2011, the Jayhawks will take on the Tigers, who hail from the SEC, having formerly been a member of the Big 12 before joining the SEC in 2012.
The history between these two sides on the field has stretched far into the past, with the first meeting taking place in 1900. As it stands, the Tigers hold a 53-48 advantage with 10 ties between the two teams, including the first matchup, which ended in a 6-6 draw.
The Tigers have taken the last three matchups between the two sides, and the last time Kansas came out on top was a 40-37 shootout in 2008.
The talk of the town this week was always going to be around the incoming visit to Columbia, and that was a staple of Monday’s press conference with head coach Lance Leipold.
One of the many bits Leipold was quoted as saying about the future matchup was about how much former Kansas running back Devin Neal wanted to play in it.
“Devin did ask if he could come back and play this game. He said it to me, walking off the field Friday night, he goes, ‘I'll even come back as a walk-on.’ So, I appreciated that.”
Neal, of course, was present for Kansas’ 46-7 demolition of the Wagner Seahawks, which saw the Jayhawks amass over 600 yards of total offense, as Kansas continues to flex its early-season muscles.
Neal was a stalwart in the Kansas backfield through his four-year tenure with Leipold. The current New Orleans Saints accumulated over 4,300 yards, averaging 5.7 yards per carry, and 49 rushing touchdowns, with a further four through the air. Through three of Neal’s four seasons at Kansas, Neal had raked in at least 10 touchdowns, with two seasons comprising a combined 34 touchdowns in his junior and senior seasons.
Leipold furthered his quote by saying, “You hope it just intensifies one's preparation and the things they have to go through, because once the ball is kicked off, you have to go out and play. And there's things that have to be done and executed with precision, and effort, and strain and physicality, just like it does each and every other week. But I'm sure that any of those extra boosts [speeches about the importance of the rivalry] along the way, our guys will take seriously.”
The Jayhawks are set to take on the Tigers this Saturday at 2:30 PM CT.