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.”
Minnesota knocked off its second ranked opponent this season, upsetting Illinois 25-17, thanks to four field goals from Dragan Kesich. It’s the first time since 2000 that the Golden Gophers have wins over two ranked teams in one season, and this one made them bowl-eligible. Kesich, a senior from Oak Creek, Wis., connected from 46, 45, 38 and 20 yards out. It’s the second 4-FG game in his career, making him just the fifth Gophers kicker to achieve the feat more than once. He added a PAT for a 13-point game, giving him 68 for the season. That total ranks third among all players in the Big Ten.
Jordan Noyes showed off one of the country’s strongest legs, connecting from 60 yards out in Colorado State’s 38-21 win over Nevada. The senior from Louisville, Ky. now owns the second-longest field goal in Mountain West history, just a few weeks after he connected from 58. The 60-yarder was one of three field goals on the day, along with more reasonable attempts from 35 and 21 yards out. Noyes added three PATs for a 12-point game, his first double-digit scoring effort of the season. With the win, Colorado State is bowl-eligible for the first time since 2017.
Brock Travelstead kicked four field goals in one of college football’s toughest environments as Louisville shocked Clemson with a 33-21 win at night in Death Valley. It marks the Cardinals’ first ever win over the Tigers, and snapped a 22-game, 11-year-long streak of wins by Clemson at home at night. Travelstead is the first Louisville kicker with three career 4-FG games. The senior from Acworth, Ga. connected from 49, 42, 40 and 21 yards out. The three 40+ yarders all came in the third quarter, trying the program record for makes in single quarter. With three PATs, he totaled 15 points, the highest scoring performance by an FBS kicker this week.
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 @LouGrozaAward on Twitter.
