MANHATTAN, Kan. (K-State Athletics) – Following a historic performance on Saturday in Kansas State’s 44-31 victory over UCF, sophomore running back DJ Giddens has been named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday.
It is the first weekly conference honors in Giddens’ career and the first by a Wildcat this season.
A product of Junction City, Kansas, Giddens rushed for 207 yards and four touchdowns, the first time in school history a player had at least 200 rushing yards and four rushing scores in a game. The 22nd instance in Big 12 history and just the second since 2015, it was also the 16th 200-yard rushing game in school history and the first since Alex Barnes went for 250 yards at Baylor in 2018. His four rushing touchdowns tied for third in school history and were the most by a K-State running back since Barnes had four against Oklahoma State in 2018. Giddens did his damage on 30 carries, the most by a Wildcat since Barnes rushed 32 times against Texas Tech in 2017.
In addition to his 207 rushing yards, he hauled in eight passes for 86 yards as his 293 total yards from scrimmage were the third most in school history behind a pair of performances by Darren Sproles, who put up 323 yards in the 2003 Big 12 Championship Game victory over No. 1 Oklahoma and 298 yards against Louisiana the next season.
Giddens enters K-State’s bye week ranking 11th nationally and second in the Big 12 in rushing yards per game (105.8), while he is fourth in the conference in rushing touchdowns (4).
Kansas State is off this week prior to playing at Oklahoma State next Friday, October 6. The game, which kicks off at 6:30 p.m., will be televised by ESPN.
