Mark Mangino challenges Kansas ahead of Border War vs. Missouri: 'Spank them for leaving the conference'

The Kansas football program saw some of its greatest heights under former head coach Mark Mangino, who was the head man in Lawrence from 2002-2009. This included a magical 12-1 season in 2007, which was capped off by a 24-21 win over Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl.

The Mangino era at Kansas ended with a thud, as he forced to quietly resign following an internal investigation conducted by the university relating to mistreatment of players. He however remains a proud Jayhawk supporter, which comes with continuing to take part in some rivalry trash talk.

“I think Kansas oughta go over there and spank them for leaving the conference,” Mangino said on Saturday about the Jayhawks’ matchup with Missouri this season. Missouri and Kansas were rivals in the Big 12 Conference until the Tigers departed for the SEC in 2011.

Asked former #kufball coach Mark Mangino about renewing the rivalry with Mizzou:

"I think Kansas oughta go over there and spank them for leaving the conference." @WIBWsports pic.twitter.com/gzNResmPvz

— Andrew Lind (@WIBWAndrew) August 2, 2025

Missouri and Kansas have gone in opposite directions since 2012

The two programs have not met since 2011, Missouri‘s final season in the Big 12. The Tigers won the last three matchups between the historic rivals by an average of two touchdowns per game. With Mangino at the helm however, Kansas and Missouri split the series 4-4.

“That particular game was the kind of buildup that you see for the Red River Rivalry on the Texas State Fairgrounds,” Mangino said about their 2007 game, via The Kansas City Star. “Everybody’s into it. Everybody around the stadium on the fairgrounds wearing their school colors. When we pulled up at Arrowhead, the place was a sea of black and gold or crimson and blue. I don’t think there’s anybody in the parking lot that didn’t have one of those colors on.”

Since leaving the Big 12, Missouri is 96-68 with four 10-win campaigns and four bowl game victories (2013 Cotton Bowl, 2014 Citrus Bowl, 2023 Cotton Bowl and the 2024 Music City Bowl). Kansas has struggled mightily in that same span, as it is 38-117 with one bowl victory (2023 Guaranteed Rate Bowl). Things are looking up for the Jayhawks in the Lance Leipold era however, as Kansas has won at least five games in three consecutive seasons for the first time since 2007-09.

This year’s edition of the Border War will take place on Sept. 6 at Faurot Field in Columbia, MO. Dating back to 1980, Missouri is 8-5 in games played at home. The last five meetings between the rivals were played in Kansas City, but it returns to home field advantage this season.