LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas senior running back Devin Neal picked up another national honor for his historic Senior Day performance vs. No. 16 Colorado, as he was named the Maxwell National Player of the Week, the Maxwell Football Club announced on Tuesday.
Neal carried the ball a career-high 37 times for 207 yards and three touchdowns, while adding 80 yards and another touchdown on four receptions. For Neal, this is the second time in his career with four total touchdowns, first since Nov. 31, 2021 at Texas, and the fourth time he has scored at least three touchdowns in his career, first since Nov. 18, 2023 at Kansas State. Neal’s 207 rushing yards is the second-highest total for Neal in his legendary career, topped only by a 224-yard rushing day in KU’s 37-16 win over No. 18 Oklahoma State in 2022.
The Maxwell Award has been presented to the College Player of the Year since 1937 and is named in honor of Robert Maxwell, who was a former standout at Swarthmore College and a renowned sportswriter and football official. Each week during the 2024 season the Maxwell Football Club will recognize outstanding performances with two weekly awards. The Maxwell Award Player of the Week will be recognized for overall performance on offense, defense or special teams, and the Chuck Bednarik Award Player of the Week will be honored for outstanding defensive play.
In the win over No. 16 Colorado, Neal surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing milestone for the 2024 season, becoming the first player in Kansas football history to rush for more than 1,000 yards three times in his career. Neal has now rushed for 1,133 yards and 15 touchdowns this season. His yardage total is good for the sixth-highest single-season total in program history and his touchdown total is No. 4 in school history for a single season.
KU’s all-time leader in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and total touchdowns, Neal added to his historic marks on Saturday. His current career totals are 4,210 yards, 48 rushing touchdowns and 52 total touchdowns. The game also marked Neal’s 19th career game with more than 100 rushing yards, which is also a school record. Additionally, Neal is now No. 3 in school history for career receptions by a running back with 76.
Nationally, Neal is tied for the lead among active FBS players with 48 career rushing touchdowns, which matches the mark of Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty. Neal is No. 2 among active power four running backs for career rushing yards, trailing only Tahj Brooks of Texas Tech. Neal entered the game ranked No. 10 in Big 12 history for career rushing yards and passed Oklahoma’s Adrian Peterson and Samaje Perine and Kendall Hunter of Oklahoma State to move No. 7 in conference history. He is also 10th in league history for rushing touchdowns.