Kansas uses American Civil War imagery to promote Missouri rivalry game

Yahoo Sports1 min read • Latest: Sep 11, 2026, 2:46 PM

Last updated Sep 11, 2026

Kansas uses American Civil War imagery to promote Missouri rivalry game
Summary

The Kansas football team is using historical references to the American Civil War to promote Friday's 122nd meeting against Missouri. The Jayhawks released social media content featuring the painting Tragic Prelude by John Steuart Curry, which depicts the abolitionist John Brown alongside both Union and Confederate soldiers. The promotional material explicitly frames the rivalry as a struggle between heroes and villains, referencing historical figures such as William Quantrill and the anti-slavery Jay-Hawkers. Both teams enter the matchup with 1-0 records, and Missouri arrives in Lawrence ranked No. 23 in the latest AP Top-25 poll. The intensity of the rivalry, historically known as the Border War, is highlighted by the school's focus on the period when Kansas fought to enter the union as a free state. The game is scheduled for Friday evening.

Source Links
Key Details
  • Kansas hosts Missouri for the 122nd edition of the Border War on Friday.
  • Promotional materials use images of John Brown and references to the Kansas-Missouri border conflicts.
  • Both Kansas and Missouri enter the game with 1-0 records.
  • Missouri holds the No. 23 ranking in the current AP Top-25.
  • The content highlights the historical clash between Quantrill’s Raiders and the Jay-Hawkers.
Latest Updates
  • 2:46 PMYahoo SportsKansas used the actual Civil War to hype up a college football game with Missouri
What they're saying
"

That’s one way to promote a college football rivalry.

Related Teams & Leagues

Sources

External links

Original reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.

Related Stories

Last 14 days