The University of Kansas football program released a viral hype video on social media this week, reigniting longstanding tensions with the University of Missouri ahead of their annual rivalry game on Friday.
Kansas' video emphasizes historical conflict between the states. The video, titled “Heroes and Villains,” frames the rivalry as rooted in the mid-1800s conflict known as Bleeding Kansas, where pro-slavery Missourians and anti-slavery Kansans clashed over whether Kansas would enter the Union as a slave state. The video highlights abolitionist figures such as John Brown and invokes the term “Jayhawkers,” which originated from anti-slavery militants in Kansas and later became the inspiration for the university’s mascot. The narration, delivered by former Kansas and NFL player Gilbert Brown, states that the rivalry is “fueled by hatred passed down through generations” and that the game represents a collision beyond athletics.
Missouri enters the game ranked No. 23 in the country. The Tigers are favored to win the matchup, which marks the resumption of an annual rivalry that was paused after the 2011 season. The rivalry, historically known as the Border War, was rebranded as the Border Showdown in 2004 to avoid associations with armed conflict. The game will be played at Kansas’ home venue in Lawrence, Kansas.
The video’s release has drawn attention for its explicit references to the Civil War-era tensions between the two states. The narration over historical maps and images includes the line, “There are heroes and villains. Only allegiance decides their legacy. There's right and wrong. There's Kansas and Missouri.” The video also features the track “Superhero (Heroes & Villains)” by Metro Boomin and Future, with Metro Boomin being from St. Louis, Missouri.
Kansas’ athletic department has not publicly commented on the video beyond its initial release. Missouri’s athletic department has not responded to requests for comment regarding the video or its historical framing.
The rivalry game is scheduled for Friday evening, with kickoff set for 7:00 p.m. local time. The game will air nationally on ESPN.