Kansas Football Takes Rivalry Hype to New Heights

As teams work hard to engage their fan bases, especially ahead of intense rivalry matches, Kansas football recently raised the stakes significantly.

A newly released hype video portrayed the competition with Missouri as one between “heroes and villains,” including mentions of slavery and the Civil War.

In the video, a narrator stated, “Love doesn’t exist here. Neither does mercy. This rivalry is different because it’s built on something much deeper than just school pride. It’s fueled by hatred passed down through generations. Our roots reach back to the Civil War, when blood was spilled over what you believed in and which side you stood on.”

The video references historical figures from that era, such as abolitionist John Brown and Confederate guerrilla leader William Quantrill, infamous for the Lawrence Massacre, where his men killed at least 150 residents in Lawrence, Kansas.

Quantrill chose this town for its pro-abolition stance and its association with the Jayhawkers, a militia known for targeting pro-slavery regions in western Missouri.

The narrator continued, “There are heroes and villains. Only allegiance decides their legacy. There’s right and wrong. There’s Kansas and Missouri. In this rivalry, passion has its colors — crimson and blue, gold and black. Colors that continue to clash. When we collide, it goes beyond the game.”

The video generated mixed reactions; many fans expressed their disapproval of the tribute to John Brown.

One fan remarked, “John Brown was one of the most evil men in American history.”

Another stated, “John Brown was a lawless terrorist who incited violence everywhere and ripped the country apart.”

Yet, not all responses were negative. A different fan suggested, “John Brown deserves respect. But stop turning KU-Mizzou into ‘Kansas fought for Black people, Missouri fought for slavery.’ Many Free-Staters acted from white self-interest, not Black equality. My history isn’t football trash talk, and Mizzou fans aren’t ‘pro-slavery.’”

Kansas and Missouri will face off at * PM EST on Friday night.