The Kansas football game against the Missouri Tigers didn't go as hoped. The Jayhawks struggled on both offense and defense after the first quarter and lost 41-31. The TV rankings were another story.
In 2012, Missouri left the Big 12 for the SEC and the two rivals hadn't played since. The schools first played in 1891 and they've been evenly matched throughout the decades. KU is 55-57-9 (though Missouri claims one of the wins as its own).
Kansas vs. Missouri: Week 2 college football gold
Matt De Lima from SI.com's College Football HQ reported that Week 2 was a big rating success for ESPN and ABC, and that viewership this season has been as good as it's been in years.
"The viewership numbers placed the game among the top 10 most-watched contests across ESPN networks in Week 2. It also contributed to ESPN’s strongest two-week start for college football since 2009. ABC, meanwhile, posted its best Week 2 performance since 2006, with Michigan-Oklahoma drawing 9.7 million viewers."
Another journalist, Zach Miller claimed it was the most-watched college football game on ESPN2 in three years, but it is unclear as to who his source is, so take it with a grain of salt.
Saturday’s #Mizzou-Kansas football game was the most-watched game on ESPN2 in three years.
— Zach Miller (@ByZachMiller) September 10, 2025
Regardless, the renewal of such an ancient and heated rivalry garnered interest locally and nationally. For the most part, it was an enteraining game, though it didn't turn out the way KU fans hoped.
While Kansas was somewhat competitive, it also highlighted how the Jayhawks still have a ways to go to compete against good programs on a national level. The talent level is so much higher now for KU than a few years ago, but there is still a lot of room for improvements.
Missouri dominated the time of possession, controlling the ball for more than 40 minutes, and the Tigers owned the trenches, rushing the ball at will while absolutely shutting down the Kansas running backs.
Kansas also allowed several big plays that cost them dearly on the scoreboard. Throw out a Mizzou fumble that KU returned for a touchdown in the first quarter, and the game wasn't as close as the final score suggested.
Still, it is quite an accomplishment that Kansas is even relevant in football, and that people are noticing and watching. This team will get better as the season progresses, and the future is looking bright.