Matt Gay was the nation’s leading field goal kicker in the 2017 season. Connecting on 27 of his 31 attempts, the junior set a new Utah single-season record and finished the year with three more makes than any other kicker in the country. But his season was about much more than just that one number. The 27 makes included five field goals from at least 50 yards out, tied for the most in the nation. Those long distance kicks included not one but two connections from 56 yards out, tied for the longest field goals by regular FBS kickers that year. Against San Jose State, he connected from 56 and 50 in the same game, along with two more field goals and six PATs for an 18-point performance. His other 4-for-4 field goal game was even more important, as he provided nearly all the scoring against rival BYU in a 19-13 Holy War victory. In all, he made multiple field goals in nine games, racking up seven games with double-digit points. His 118 points are the third-most by a kicker in the 2017 season, and he’s the only kicker in the top fifteen with fewer than 40 extra point attempts.

Michael Reeder became the first sophomore to win the Lou Groza Award after a 1995 season that saw him kick 23 field goals, a Texas Christian record, as well as 20 extra points. Reeder further entrenched himself in the long annuals of TCU football by making a school record 13 consecutive field goals. He did not miss a field goal inside of 39 yards, and was often called the Horned Frogs’ security blanket. For his efforts, Reeder was named a consensus All-American. Reflecting on his magical 1995 season, Reeder said, “It means that for at least one year, I was the best college kicker in the country. The countless hours of practice paid off.”