Kansas Overpowers No. 16 Colorado, 37-21, on Senior Day

Field Rating

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas senior Devin Neal rushed for 207 yards and accounted for 4 touchdowns as Kansas defeated No. 16 Colorado, 37-21, Saturday afternoon in entrance of 56,470 followers on Senior Day at GEHA Subject at Arrowhead Stadium. 

The win marked Kansas’ third-straight in opposition to a ranked opponent and marked the primary time KU has defeated three ranked foes in program historical past. The Jayhawks improved to 5-6 on the season and 4-4 in Massive 12 play, whereas Colorado dropped to 8-3 (6-1 Massive 12). Within the final three weeks, Kansas has posted wins in opposition to No. 17 Iowa State, 45-36, on Nov. 9, at No. 7 BYU, 17-13, on Nov. 16 and Colorado right this moment. 

“I am so pleased with this group and our teaching employees as a result of so many individuals had written this crew off. Everybody was annoyed, pointing to issues that ought to’ve been modified or finished in another way. However this group caught collectively, stayed dedicated to the method, and did every thing we requested of them,” Leipold mentioned. “We noticed on movie the place issues weren’t going our means, however they got here in and labored at it. They had been coachable and knew we had been shut. That is in all probability one of the best feeling—that we had been shut, they usually caught collectively. I will at all times be grateful for and keep in mind this group for being that particular.”

Neal’s 207 yards had been a season excessive and marked his second profession 200-yard dashing sport. The Lawrence, Kansas, product scored three touchdowns dashing and likewise had 4 receptions for 80 yards and a rating. 

For the sport, Kansas amassed a season-high 520 yards and held Colorado to 308. In addition to Neal’s 287 yards of whole offense, Jayhawk quarterback Jalon Daniels was 14-for-21 passing for 189 yards and one landing. Daniels additionally rushed six instances for 72 yards. 

Saturday served as Senior Day for 38 Jayhawks, among the many seniors honored pregame had been: Quentin Skinner, JB Brown, Lawrence Arnold, Cobee Bryant, Mello Dotson, Marvin Grant, OJ Burroughs, Taiwan Berryhill, Trevor Wilson, Torry Locklin, Ben Easters, Owen Piepergerdes, Alex Raich, Grayden Addison, Tabor Allen, Trevor Kardell, Jared Casey, Tyler Soukhot, Logan Brown, Shane Bumgardner, Caleb Taylor, Michael Ford Jr., Darrell Simmons Jr., Hank Kelly, Javier Derritt, Luke Hosford, Dre Doiron, De’Kedrick Sterns, Bryce Cabeldue, Tevita Ahoafi-Noa, Jereme Robinson, Dylan Wudke, Kenean Caldwell, Ron McGee, Cornell Wheeler, Luke Grimm, Jalon Daniels and Devin Neal.

Following its Senior Day ceremonies, Kansas wasted no time on its opening possession. Redshirt junior quarterback Jalon Daniels linked with senior working again Devin Neal on a 51-yard swing go for a landing. It marked Neal’s fourth profession receiving landing and forty ninth general, giving Kansas an early 7-0 lead

Kansas’ protection pressured Colorado right into a three-and-out, organising a protracted, 13-play, 61-yard drive. The drive was capped by a 24-yard area objective from senior Tabor Allen, giving Kansas a 10-0 lead heading into the second quarter. 
Within the second quarter, Kansas’ protection continued to carry agency as Colorado superior into KU territory. Dealing with a 4th-and-3 Colorado opted to go for it however was held brief by seniors Cornell Wheeler and Dylan Wudke. The cease gave Kansas the soccer at their very own 39-yard line with 13:46 remaining within the second quarter.

The defensive cease propelled Kansas to a different scoring drive, its third straight to begin the sport, as Kansas marched down the sector on a 23-yard third-down conversion from Daniels to senior tight finish Trevor Kardell. On the subsequent play, Kansas prolonged its result in 17-0 on a 9-yard landing run by Neal, his fiftieth profession landing. 

Colorado acquired on the board on their subsequent drive, protecting 75 yards in 4 performs to make it 17-7 following a 51-yard landing reception from Travis Hunter.

A 47-yard run by Neal arrange a 23-yard area objective from Allen as KU prolonged the result in 20-7 on the subsequent drive. Colorado answered with a landing on their subsequent drive, earlier than the Jayhawks closed the half with a 25-yard area objective to provide Kansas a 23-14 benefit at halftime.

Colorado got here out of the half with an opening-drive 26-yard landing to Hunter, bringing the rating to 23-21 with 11:59 remaining within the third quarter.

Neal would then rating two touchdowns on Kansas’ subsequent two possessions to provide the Jayhawks a 37-21 lead with 11:47 to play. Neal’s first of two scores capped an 80-yard 10-play drive the place he rushed for 60 yards on six carries on the drive. On the second rating, Neal would rush the ultimate 4 performs of the drive protecting 13 yards that included a one-yard plunge for the landing. 

Main 37-21 with 11:47 remaining within the sport, Kansas would enable the Buffaloes to succeed in Kansas territory earlier than the Jayhawks pressured Colorado right into a 4th-and-22 from 29-yard line, which fell incomplete. Kansas was in a position to make use of its closing drive to expire the clock and provides the Jayhawks their fifth win of the season.

UP NEXT
Kansas concludes the 2024 common season on Saturday, Nov. 30, with a visit to Waco, Texas to face the Baylor Bears. A Kansas win would make the Jayhawks bowl eligible for the third consecutive season, a feat that has by no means occurred in program historical past. Kickoff time and tv data for the KU at Baylor contest will likely be set by the Massive 12 Convention within the upcoming days.

Gallery: (11-23-2024) Soccer vs. Colorado