The Art of the College Football Troll: Missouri's Postgame Jabs Shine Bright

When Victory Meets Witty Wordplay

Victory tastes sweet — especially when it comes with a side of playful provocation. In college football, few things are more satisfying than seeing your team dominate on the field and then watching their social media accounts turn up the heat afterward. That's exactly what happened after Missouri's dominant 38-21 win over Kansas in the Border War on Friday night.

The Tigers weren't just happy with their performance — they were ready to rub it in. Missouri's coaching staff, led by head coach Eli Drinkwitz, had a clear message: they wanted to make sure the Jayhawks knew exactly how much they had been bested. As Drinkwitz explained, the late touchdown was inspired by a desire to "embarrass" Kansas, referencing their rivals' pregame hype video that leaned into the rivalry's deep roots.

"We wanted to make sure they knew exactly how much we had them," Drinkwitz said. "That's just what we do. It's our way of celebrating."

But it wasn't just the coaching staff who got in on the fun. Missouri's social media team took the opportunity to deliver a few more barbs, showing their playful side after the final whistle.

Mizzou's Digital Duel With Kansas

The first of several playful posts came with a message thanking Kansas for the memories — an obvious dig at their rivals' nostalgic pride. Then, wide receiver Donovan Olugbode took a moment to blow the crowd a kiss, further taunting Kansas fans with a cheeky gesture that left no doubt about the Tigers' confidence.

The real highlight came when Missouri posted a captioned image reading "History lesson." It was a subtle but effective jab — referencing the fact that Kansas has only won 7 of the last 8 Border War matchups, giving a clear message to the Jayhawks that their recent dominance is just a blip in history.

"History Lesson 📚

7 of the last 8 🥁 pic.twitter.com/pDKku3cQto

This wasn't just a one-off; it was part of a larger trend in college football where teams are using social media as a way to extend the emotional high of a win, and even more so, to taunt rivals in creative ways.

Week 2's Most Memorable Trolls

While Missouri's antics were top-tier, they weren't alone in the trolling game. Across the nation, teams were making their mark on social media with clever and sometimes cheeky posts. Here are a few more highlights from Week 2:

Texas A&M's Forked Fun

After crushing Arizona State 48-20 in what was a devastating fourth-quarter blowout, Texas A&M turned to the Sun Devils' famous "forks up" hand signal. Their post read, "Fork around and find out," complete with an image of a plastic fork snapping in two — a direct visual insult that perfectly captured the Aggies' exuberance.

"Fork around and find out 👍 pic.twitter.com/vQp2cQvICI

Oklahoma State's Ducking Delight

Eric Morris' first win as Oklahoma State head coach was a huge one — taking down No. 6 Oregon in Stillwater after a Week 1 loss to Tulsa. The Cowboys took a page from the old-school trolling playbook by posting a photo of Morris holding dead ducks, clearly referencing his hunting trip and his own calm demeanor under pressure.

"MOOD. pic.twitter.com/DCO4BOq2uM

App State's Treasure Trove

In a battle of North Carolina schools, Appalachian State beat East Carolina 27-24. Postgame, the Mountaineers took a more subtle approach with a simple but powerful image: a reference to buried treasure, implying they had found something more valuable than their rivals — victory.

"𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 🏆#GoApp pic.twitter.com/SSTg1Byekq

UAB's Birdcage Bash

Not all trolling has to be elaborate. UAB, with its first win of the season, delivered a simple but effective troll by posting an image of UL Monroe's warhawk mascot locked up in a birdcage. The post said nothing but simply read "DUB😤," a reference to their own nickname and a subtle nod to how the Warhawks were caged.

"DUB😤#WinAsOne pic.twitter.com/NxyXqpbEKv

Duke's Champaign Condemnation

Duke took down Illinois 31-27 on the road, a win that was especially sweet considering their new conference affiliation. Their postgame troll took aim at Illinois's home city and its updated videoboard, referencing it as a "B1G loss" — a sharp jab at their rival's recent expansion into the Big Ten.

"Cheers 😈 pic.twitter.com/xEmmNKcahQ

Alabama's Obscene Scene

Earlier in the week, Kentucky coach Will Stein urged his fans to create a hostile environment by standing and screaming obscenities at Alabama. The Crimson Tide responded with a post that was both sly and subtle — captioned "An Obscene Scene," referencing the exact words Stein had used.

"An Obscene Scene 🫡#RollTide | @BuildSubmarines pic.twitter.com/NRkEsvAYUY

The Evolution of Team Identity

These moments might seem like small potatoes — after all, they're just posts on social media. But in the age of digital culture and team branding, every tweet, image, and meme is part of a broader strategy to build fan engagement and create lasting identity.

I've seen college football evolve from a sport defined by big plays and epic rivalries into one where teams are now crafting their own cultural moments — and trolling rivals has become one of the most popular ways to do that. From the playful jabs to the more serious taunts, these interactions are shaping not only how fans feel about their teams but also how they engage with them in a digital landscape that demands constant attention.

Missouri's win over Kansas was just one example of how this new generation of college football teams isn't afraid to go all-in on the moment — and make sure everyone knows it.