During the revival of the 'Border War' rivalry between Kansas and Missouri, head referee Jason Autrey sustained an injury and was carted off the field, unable to complete the game.
The incident occurred shortly after Kansas blocked a field goal and returned it for a touchdown. As players and fans celebrated, the Fox broadcast showed Autrey on the sideline, appearing to be in significant pain and clutching his leg. Broadcast analysts speculated that he may have pulled a hamstring.
Despite attempts to stretch the injury on the sideline, Autrey was eventually taken off the field in a cart. According to rules analyst Mike Pereira, the game had to be completed with one fewer official due to the injury, as there were no available backups. This left only six officials on the field, with the center judge assuming duties in the backfield.
Furthermore, Autrey was carrying the only working microphone that was wired to the broadcast. As he was unable to pass it off, penalty announcements could not be made on the broadcast for the remainder of the game.
No. 23 Missouri ultimately defeated Kansas with a score of 38-21. The Tigers out-gained the Jayhawks 469-255, with three turnovers by Kansas contributing to their defeat. A total of 21 penalties were called between the two teams during the heated rivalry game.