Lance Leipold picks up $100,000 bonus due to bowl eligibility
The Kansas Jayhawks and head coach Lance Leipold pulled off one of the biggest stunners of the 2023 college football season on Saturday afternoon, upsetting the 6th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners, 38-33. Not only was the win significant because it was one of the biggest wins in Jayhawk football history, but Kansas is now bowl eligible with their sixth win.
That triggered a nice payday in Leipold’s contract. Since the Jayhawks won their sixth game, Leipold picked up a $100,000 bonus, according to Steve Berkowitz of USA Today.
The win was KU’s first win over the Sooners since 1997, a span of 18 games.
Lance Leipold has now guided the Jayhawks to bowl games in back-to-back seasons for just the second time in program history. Kansas last played in back-to-back bowl games in the 2007 and 2008 seasons, when Mark Mangino was the head coach.
Leipold has already firmly cemented himself in the hearts of Kansas football fans forever for his remarkable turnaround of their program. Before he arrived, KU football went 13 years without a six-win season, and he’s already given them two in back-to-back years.
The Jayhawks went 0-9 in 2020. Just three years later, Kansas is 6-2 and they’ll likely be in the Top 25 after handing the Sooners their first loss of the season. It’s been nothing short of remarkable what he’s already accomplished with the Jayhawks. Saturday’s upset win was just yet another impressive display of the job he’s done in Lawrence.
Leipold had to have been pleased with Devin Neal on Saturday
Growing up in Lawrence, Devin Neal didn’t see many winning seasons from Kansas before committing to the program in March 2020. The Jayhawks went from 2008-21 without a six-win season before last year’s 6-7 record — Neal’s sophomore year.
Saturday, Kansas picked up its biggest win in a long time, upsetting No. 6-ranked Oklahoma at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Neal was a big reason why, totaling 112 rushing yards and scoring the game-winning touchdown with 55 seconds to play.
As he spoke with FOX’s Allison Williams amid the postgame celebration, he knows first-hand how much that type of victory means to the KU program.
“It means everything,” Neal said. “Look at these people right here. Look at them. This means a lot to me, just being from here, growing up in this program and coming here to make a change. This is a big win for our program. I’m ready to celebrate with the guys.”
Up next for the Jayhawks, they’ll take on the Iowa State Cyclones on Saturday, November 4th. The Cyclones currently sit at 5-3 overall on the 2023 campaign.
On3’s Nick Schultz also contributed to this article.