BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Football punter Cole Maynard has accepted an invitation to the 2026 American Bowl.
Maynard will be the first WKU player to play in The American Bowl, which is in its inaugural year. As America's newest premier college football all-star game, The American Bowl will showcase top national prospects projected in the 4th-7th rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft. Airing in prime time on NFL Network on Thursday, Jan. 22, at 7 p.m. CT, the game fills the spotlight with no competing football events between the College Football Playoff National Championship and NFL Conference Championships, and is to be played before an expected sold-out crowd of 4,000 at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida.
Maynard has been named Associated Press All-America First Team, Walter Camp All-America Second Team, the Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Year and First Team All-CUSA in recent weeks.
Maynard is the first WKU player to be named to one of the All-America teams that comprise the NCAA's annual consensus team since wide receiver Jerreth Sterns was named an Associated Press and Football Writers Association of America Second Team All-America in 2021. Maynard is the program's first player to be named AP All-America First Team since Buster Ashley in 2004, and he is the program's first player to be named AP All-America First Team during WKU's FBS Era (since 2009). Maynard's recognition by the Walter Camp Football Foundation marked the first time a WKU player has been named to a Walter Camp All-America team since 2011, when running back Bobby Rainey received Second Team recognition.
Maynard led the nation in punting average during the regular season at 48.7 yards per punt over 51 punting attempts. In addition to his postseason honors, he was named to the Ray Guy Award Preseason Watch List, the 2025 CUSA Preseason Watch List and was twice named to the Ray's 8 List honoring the top punting performances of the week. Maynard was also recognized with the top special teams performance of the week in the league twice as CUSA's Special Teams Player of the Week.
Over his 51 punts this season, Maynard has sent 25 50-plus yards – with a long of 71 yards – and has downed 12 inside the 20-yard line, with 15 fair catches and only five touchbacks. His 48.7 yards per punt would be a new WKU record for single-season punting average, topping the previous mark of 45.9 yards per punt by John Haggerty during the 2019 season.
WKU went 8-4 during the 2025 regular season and will face Southern Miss in the 2025 New Orleans Bowl on Tuesday, Dec. 23, at Caesars Superdome. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. CT and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN. To purchase tickets click HERE, and to donate tickets click HERE. For WKU's full 2025 New Orleans Bowl Central page, click HERE.
For all the latest on WKU Football, follow @WKUFootball on Twitter and Instagram and like the WKU Football Facebook page.
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