The University of Missouri (Mizzou) is widely credited with holding the first homecoming game in 1911. The event was organized by Athletic Director Chester Brewer to invite alumni back for the annual football game against rival Kansas, featuring a parade, pep rally, and bonfire, culminating in a successful gathering of over 9,000 people.
The University of Kansas (KU) and the University of Missouri (MU) have a fierce sports rivalry known as the "Border War," which is deeply rooted in the violent Bleeding Kansas period and the Civil War era, with their respective mascots, the Jayhawks and the Tigers, stemming from pro-Union and pro-Confederate factions. The rivalry officially began with a football game in 1891