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.”
Liberty snapped a four-game losing streak thanks to a career day from Jay Billingsley, who scored most of the points in a 19-8 win over UTEP. The senior from Belton, South Carolina went 4-for-5 on the day, the first time in his 43-game career kicking more than 2 field goals. The quartet of kicks included a 50 yarder, the longest field goal by a Flames kicker since 2020, to go along with makes from 41, 29 and 27 yards out. He also converted the PAT on Liberty’s only touchdown, accounting for 13 points on the day.
Facing down 108,121 fans in one of college football’s toughest environments, Jack Olsen kept focus and went a vital 3-for-3 on field goals in Northwestern’s 22-21 upset of Penn State. It’s the first time the Wildcats have won in Happy Valley since 2014. The senior from Wheaton, Illinois opened the game’s scoring from 27 yards out, and gave Northwestern some vital momentum going into halftime with a 34 yarder to cut Penn State’s lead to just one. He then put the Wildcats out front early in the fourth quarter with a 41-yard field goal, setting the stage for Northwestern’s 70th win by 7 points or fewer since 2000, second-most in FBS.
The only kick bigger than matching your program’s longest field goal in history is doing it as a walk-off winner. That’s what Garrison Rippa delivered for Jacksonville State, splitting the uprights from 52 yards as time expired for a 29-27 win over Sam Houston. The sophomore from Locust Grove, Georgia seems to thrive in the situation; the kick topped his previous long of 51 which came with 34 seconds left to tie a game last season. Earlier in the game, he connected from 30 and 26 yards, with a 35-yard attempt blocked. For the season, he’s 10-for-12 on field goals with both missed attempts blocked at the line.
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.
