Former Mizzou chancellor R. Bowen Loftin made headlines on Wednesday when he said the reason the Mizzou-Kansas Border War rivalry hasn’t resumed after the Tigers left for the SEC is Bill Self’s ego.

Loftin called out the Jayhawks’ basketball coach in an interview with AL.com, saying he believes the Texas-Texas A&M rivalry is more likely to continue in the future than Mizzou-Kansas:

“The problem was a man named Bill Self who made it very clear this wasn’t going to happen,” Loftin said. “I think it’s more likely Texas will bend than Kansas, as long as Self is involved. He has a big ego.”

Naturally, Self had to defend himself, questioning Loftin on why he thinks a basketball coach has any impact on a football rivalry, according to CJOnline.com:

“Tell the ex-Missouri chancellor that I coach basketball, not football,” Self wrote in a text message to The Capital-Journal. “That we would never play a game in Arrowhead or even discuss it. It’s too cold. We play our games indoors. But (I) look forward to meeting him someday if he’s ever in Lawrence.”

The Tigers and Jayhawks last squared off on the gridiron back in 2011, Mizzou’s last year in the Big 12. The Tigers rolled to an easy 24-10 victory.

Based on the 120-year history of the rivalry, which dates back to 1891, it’s safe to say that all generations of Mizzou and Kansas fans would like to see the schools set aside their differences and renew the series.