College football’s top kicking award, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award presented by the Orange Bowl recognizes top kickers each week from FBS division teams as the “Stars of the Week.”
Boise State junior Jonah Dalmas kicked four field goals in the Broncos’ 40-20 defeat of Fresno State in Mountain West action in Boise, Idaho on Saturday night. The 2021 Groza semifinalist from Meridian, Idaho had makes of 33, 21 and two from 24 yards out. He converted all four of his PATs for a 16-point game, tied for the most among kickers this week. It’s the 4th time in just 25 career games that he has made four field goals. Dalmas is 10-for-12 on field goals and 19-for-19 on extra point attempts this season, with his 49 points leading the team in scoring.
NC State graduate kicker Christopher Dunn scored the final 9 points of the game, including a 53-yard field goal, to lead the Wolfpack to a come-from-behind 19-17 victory over Florida State in ACC action in Raleigh, N.C. on Saturday. In addition to that long-range kick, the Lexington, S.C. native connected from 40, 38 and the ultimate game-winner from 27 yards out. He made his only extra point attempt for a 13-point day. Dunn has not missed a kick this season, with his 11 field goal attempts tied for the most in the nation by a kicker still perfect. The fifth-year starter is the active FBS career leader in both field goals and kick-scoring.
Senior Chase McGrath was 4-for-5 on his field goal attempts in Tennessee’s 40-13 rout of LSU on the road in Baton Rouge, La. on Saturday. The Newport Beach, Calif. native connected from 38, 35 and twice from 32 yards out for his most makes as a Volunteer. His lone miss came from long distance, while he’s now 15-for-16 on tries from inside 40 yards at Tennessee. He made all four of his PATs to go to a perfect 94-for-94 at Tennessee, having made 164 in a row including his time at USC. The 16-point game is his best as a Vol and ties for the best by a kicker this week, while his 52 points lead the team in scoring.
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.