Mizzou and KU will meet on the gridiron tomorrow for the first time since 2011, reviving a football rivalry that's more than a century old.

Why it matters: As the unofficial middle ground between schools, Kansas City is a mixed bag of Tigers and Jayhawks.

• And if there's anything we know about KC, it's that we love our sports.

Context: The teams used to play each other regularly when they were both in the Big 12. That ended when the University of Missouri changed to the SEC (except for wrestling) in 2012.

• But the rivalry has roots deeper than sports.

Flashback: The rivalry between Kansas and Missouri dates back to the years before the Civil War, when states were embroiled in violent clashes over slavery during a period known as "Bleeding Kansas." Armed groups on both sides — including anti-slavery "Jayhawkers" from Kansas and pro-slavery "Border Ruffians" from Missouri — carried out raids along the border.

• The legacy of that conflict lingered for decades. When the schools played their first football game in 1891, just a generation later, some cited that history to explain the rivalry's intensity.

What they're saying: "You can see that there's an extra intensity during the game," KU coach Lance Leipold told ESPN of recent border war basketball games.

• "This is deeply seated," Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said.

💬 Travis' thought bubble: As a Mizzou grad, I remember one of the first things we learned at summer orientation was that we hate KU — even though we were already in different divisions.

Stunning stat: This will be the teams' 121st matchup.

• Mizzou holds the lead in number of wins — but the actual record is disputed, the Kansas City Star reports.

Follow the money: Fans who pined for a renewed border war put their money where their mouth was; this game is fat with cash.

• Tickets sold out before they even made it to the general public, and as of yesterday, resale tickets started at nearly $200.
• And have you seen the cost of college concessions these days?

How to watch: Kickoff is at 2:30pm in Columbia. The game will stream on ESPN2.

Jayhawks fans attending football games this fall might be impressed with the newly renovated stadium, but that's just the beginning for KU's north campus.

Why it matters: More construction is on the way as leaders seek to remake a part of campus primarily used for parking into a multipurpose college hub.

The big picture: The planned Gateway District will act as a welcome mat for the University of Kansas, funneling students and visitors into a multipurpose plaza — all pointing toward the stadium and campanile.

Zoom in: Phase one, which included David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium's renovation along with a new conference center and updated team facility, wrapped up in August.

• Phase two — which will add student housing, food and drink, retail, office space, and a parking garage — will begin immediately after the 2025 football season, according to Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate spokesperson Laura Petersen.

By the numbers: The projected total cost is $808 million, according to The Lawrence Times, funded through donations, developers, state and local governments.

• It's expected to bring in nearly $2 billion in spending over the next 20 years, according to the chancellor's office.

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Kansas City artist Megh Knappenberger turned old to new, using literal chunks from KU's previous stadium in a new painting that now adorns its renovated halls.

The big picture: Her commissioned painting of the KU Game Day Flag in the shape of the state of Kansas is an homage to the university's history and tradition.

Zoom in: Knappenberger, a KU alum, tells Axios she incorporated pieces of concrete, paint, turf and track from the old stadium into her work, which she chiseled, peeled, and pulled off herself.

• She also worked with an archivist to pull original stadium blueprints, which she then photographed and incorporated into the work.
• And she used a real retired Game Day Flag, which once flew on Fraser Hall.

What she's saying: "There was so much history to work with," Knappenberger says, adding that the project was "one of my most ambitious to date."

Zoom out: Knappenberger has partnered with KU before, recreating all six official versions of the Jayhawk in her iconic style.

If you go: Knappenberger's painting is at the stadium's southwest corner on the ground floor by the suite elevators.

Go deeper

I love a good football game, but the college game-day atmosphere is perfected by the marching band.

Fun fact: I was in Marching Mizzou all four years as a saxophonist and drum major.

• Even funner fact: I got to conduct halftime at Arrowhead.

💬 Thought bubble: A college band is like a really big family. We suffer through 100-degree all-day rehearsals and instruments freezing shut with spit. We laugh, cry, sweat, and sometimes even bleed together, all in the name of school spirit.

If you go: College games should be all-day events. Arrive early, stick around for halftime, and stay late.

• 🎵 The band thanks you in advance.

The Chiefs head into their season opener tonight — not at Arrowhead, but in São Paulo, Brazil. Here's how to catch the game live:

• YouTube will stream the Chiefs vs. Chargers matchup. Kickoff is at 7pm Central time, and the stream is free, courtesy of the NFL's first YouTube-exclusive broadcast.
• In-market fans can also tune in via the Chiefs' official site or the NFL+ app as per usual.
• And if you're catching the action from outside the U.S.? NFL Game Pass on DAZN has you covered.