College football’s top kicking award, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award presented by the Orange Bowl, recognizes three of the top kickers each week from FBS division teams as the “Stars of the Week.”
The season’s first four-field-goal performance came Thursday night as Bowling Green’s Jackson Kleather got off to a fast start in the Falcons’ 26-7 win over Lafayette. The junior from Tipp City, Ohio became the first Falcon with four in a game since 2021. One of those came from 56 yards out, the longest by a Bowling Green kicker in 30 years. He also connected from 39, 35 and 30 yards out, and added two extra points for a 14-point performance.
Kansei Matsuzawa notched the season’s first game-winning field goal, connecting from 38 yards out as time expired in Hawaii’s 23-20 win over Stanford in Week 0. The kick delivered the Warriors their first victory over a power conference opponent since 2019. It was the third field goal of the game for the senior from Tokyo, along with makes from 40 and 37 yards out that all came in the second half. Things didn’t go quite as well in Week 1 for Hawaii, with Matsuzawa’s two field goals accounting for all of the team’s scoring in a loss to Arizona, but the net result is the nation’s leading kicker at 5-for-5 thus far.
Sean O’Haire hasn’t attempted many kicks in his career, but he’s made them all. After staying perfect in 5 games for Richmond at the FCS level last year in his first season ever playing football, he transferred to Maryland and went 3-for-3 in his FBS debut, helping the Terrapins to a 39-7 win over Florida Atlantic. The redshirt freshman from Kildare, Ireland hit from 49, 42 and 24 yards out, the most makes in a debut at Maryland since 1996. It’s the only performance thus far of 3+ field goals in a game with multiple coming from at least 40 yards out.
The Award is named for National Football League Hall of Fame kicker Lou “The Toe” Groza, who played 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Groza won four NFL championships with Cleveland and was named NFL Player of the Year in 1954. Although an All-Pro offensive lineman as well, Groza ushered in the notion that there should be a place on an NFL roster for a kicker.
For more information on the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award and to see the “Stars of the Week” throughout the season, please go to www.lougrozaaward.com. For even more updates on the best kicking performances throughout the season, follow the Lou Groza Award on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram at @LouGrozaAward.
National College Football Awards Association
The Lou Groza Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football’s most prestigious awards. The NCFAA’s 25 awards have honored more than 950 recipients since 1935. Visit NCFAA.org for more information.
About the Palm Beach County Sports Commission
The Palm Beach County Sports Commission is a private, not-for-profit organization contracted by Palm Beach County to promote and market the County as a sports and sports tourism destination. The Commission brings sporting events and activities to the County, enhances economic impact, stimulates bed tax revenues (primarily in the off-season), and maximizes utilization of County facilities. The Commission offers a full range of event service support, corporate partnerships, sponsorships, and a local membership program that supports its goals. Local, regional, national, and international marketing efforts are ongoing by the Commission with sports organizations and event owners. The Commission also produces sports-related programs for the residents of Palm Beach County including the annual Lou Groza Award program, the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame, and the Kids Fitness Festival of the Palm Beaches. For more information on the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, go to www.palmbeachsports.com.
