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.”
For the third consecutive meeting, the Cy-Hawk Trophy was decided by a late field goal. This time it was Caden Buhr from 42 yards with 15 seconds left lifting Iowa to a 16-13 victory over Iowa State in the perennially tight rivalry game. The sophomore from Bettendorf, Iowa had earlier connected from 45 and 32 yards out, each time tying the game, but his game-winner was the first time the Hawkeyes led all day. With the 45-yarder matching his long from last week, Buhr is one of just 11 FBS kickers with at least three field goals of 40 or longer already.
The season’s first five-field-goal performance belongs to Nolan Hauser, who accounted for nearly all the scoring in Clemson’s 22-7 win over Georgia Southern. With another five-FG game back in 2024, the junior from Cornelius, North Carolina is just the second kicker in program history with multiple five-make outings. After connecting from 38, 34 and 20 yards in the first half, Hauser got to five the hard way, hitting from 50 and 49 late in the game to secure the victory.
Oklahoma State ended the program’s longest losing streak with the season’s biggest upset, knocking off Oregon 39-31 thanks in part to four field goals from Sam Keltner. The sophomore from Keller, Texas put the Cowboys out front to start the game and then added second-half field goals from 44, 31, and 24 yards to keep them there. It’s the first four-field-goal game by an Oklahoma State kicker since 2023. Keltner is one of just six FBS kickers yet to miss on at least five attempts this season.
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 X, Facebook, and Instagram.
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 nearly 1,000 recipients since 1935. This season, 12 NCFAA awards will honor national players of the week each Tuesday.
For more information about the NCFAA and its award programs, visit NCFAA.org or follow on X at @NCFAA and Instagram @TheNCFAA.
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.