Missouri football must not have wanted any parts of Kansas. College football nearly had the Border War rivalry renewed, as the heated contest was considered for the Liberty Bowl this year, though Missouri won't play Kansas in a bowl, sources told Brett McMurphy of Action Network.

How about those apples? The Jayhawks “were not opposed to playing the Tigers in a bowl”, per McMurphy. Missouri, who holds the slight edge in the all-time rivalry, straight up did not want to take the field against Kansas in the Liberty Bowl.

The Border War, dormant since Missouri's 2012 departure from the Big 12 to the SEC, appears unlikely to be renewed.

Why wouldn't Missouri football, who won two straight games to end their season, want to play the Jayhawks, who lost three consecutive contests to end theirs?

Could it be because the Jayhawks secured bowl eligibility for the first time since 2008?

While it doesn't exactly relate to their on-field plans- or potential Liberty Bowl plans- the Tigers have seen as many as nine players, including promising wide receiver Dominic Lovett, head for the transfer portal.

It's certainly an interesting point in the tenure of Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri football's head coach since the 2020 season.

And don't think that Drinkwitz is safe from the Tigers' perceived ducking of Kansas. College Football Reddit on Twitter made sure to point out a 2020 quote from Drinkwitz when he was hired at Missouri, where he said he came to the SEC to “go against the best.”

This potential Missouri-Kansas, Border War renewal would have seemed to be a chance to do just that.

Or not.