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.”
SMU avenged last year’s ACC Championship Game loss to Clemson thanks to three long field goals from Sam Keltner. All three kicks came in the second quarter, giving the Mustangs a 16-7 lead at the half and setting the stage for their 35-24 victory over the Tigers. The freshman from Keller, Texas connected first from 51 yards, and then followed with a pair of makes from 48. With just five career games under his belt, Keltner notched his first 3-FG performance in the span of about 10 minutes.
The University of Texas has been playing football for over 130 years, but on Saturday Mason Shipley became the first Longhorn to ever kick a walk-off field goal in overtime, connecting from 45 yards out for a 16-13 road win over Kentucky. The senior from Liberty Hill, Texas had seemingly secured the victory just a few minutes earlier, kicking a 39 yarder with less than a minute left to give the Longhorns the lead, but Kentucky drove close enough for Wildcat kicker Jacob Kauwe to send the game to overtime. Shipley’s winner was his third field goal of the game, having also connected from 53 yards, his longest of the season.
Trey Smack kicked multiple long-distance field goals for the first time in his career, connecting from 53 and 54 yards, kicks that proved pivotal in Florida’s 23-21 win over Mississippi State. The pair of long-range kicks came as part of a 3-for-3 day that extends the senior from Severna Park, Maryland’s streak to 10 consecutive successful attempts. Added to his 56-yard field goal in the season opener, Smack is now a remarkable 8-for-11 from long range in his career. He also went 2-for-2 on extra points to remain perfect in his career at 90-for-90 on PATs.
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.
