MU vs. KU: a rivalry renewed
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
One of the most iconic rivalries in the history of college sports will make its return on Saturday, as Mizzou and Kansas will do battle at Allen Fieldhouse.
It has been nearly a decade since the two programs met in a regular season matchup, but the Tigers and the Jayhawks are far from strangers.
Missouri and Kansas' rivalry dates back to conflicts between the two states during the Civil War. However, the schools decided to take the war to a new battle ground. The Mizzou football team first hosted Kansas on Oct. 31, 1891. The Jayhawks did win the first battle 22-8, but it was far from the last time the two teams would meet.
For 16 years the two football teams met, played, and hated, but the rivalry took on a new shape in 1907 when the two schools met on the basketball court for the first time.
"Both teams played very, very close to one another, underdog or not," former Kansas basketball player Mark Ewing said.
The teams travelled back and forth, from town to town for decades, stacking up their fair share of iconic moments. But few people shaped the rivalry more than former MU head coach Norm Stewart. "Stormin' Norm" went 33-41 all-time as a coach against Kansas, but, for him, the rivalry started way before that. Stewart played for Mizzou from 1952 to 1956 before getting drafted by the St. Louis Hawks to begin his NBA career.
"I was recruited by Kansas University and Dr. Allen, so I became aware of the rivalry at a very early time" Stewart said.
MU basketball standout Jon Sundvold played for Stewart in the early 1980s. He said that his former coach pushed the Border War rivalry forward.
"What he knew about being from this side of the state, on this side of the river, was to say we're coming and we're going to play you," he said. "We're going to give your our best shot."
Stewart created some of the most iconic moments of the rivalry. From his sworn vow to never spend a dime in the state of Kansas to marching his team through the front doors of Allen Fieldhouse.
"I think Norm Stewart wanted us to get a little bit of passion as the Jayhawk student body welcomed us on the outside with choice words," Sundvold said.
Mizzou and Kansas met in 267 games over a 121-year period, with KU leading the series all-time 172-96. However, all that history went out the window in 2012 when MU decided to leave the Big 12 for the Southeastern Conference.
"You've got to be kidding me," Ewing said. "How could they take something away that's so important to the landscape of, not only college basketball, but to people in general."
The Tigers and the Jayhawks met in a one-time game in 2017 to raise money for hurricane relief, but other than that the rivalry has laid dormant since 2012.
"I miss it even with my friends who are KU grads," Sundvold said. "We miss that these teams aren't rivals anymore because you don't play."
In 2019, Mizzou and Kansas agreed to renew the rivalry with a six-year series, with games played in Columbia, Lawrence, and Kansas City. The series was supposed to start in Dec. 2020, however, due to COVID-19 the schools decided to push it back a season. Instead, MU and KU will meet on Dec. 11, 2021.
"When Mizzou left [the SEC], it created a lot of anxiety, animosity, and really I think it makes fora good game because of all of that and now we're here," current Mizzou head coach Cuonzo Martin said.
Martin and company will meet Kansas head coach Bill Self on Saturday afternoon. Self is 9-0 against the Tigers when playing in Lawrence and 5-4 when playing in Columbia. On Thursday, Self said he is excited to bring this rivalry back for fans. He added that he's been educating his players on why it matters so much.
Mizzou and Kansas will tip off at 2:15 p.m. on Dec. 11 for the teams' 268th meeting.
