The Preseason Watchlist will be named Friday, August 2 and will highlight 30 elite placekickers set to return to college football. The list often includes previous Lou Groza Award winners, finalists, semi-finalists, and other promising prospects selected based on past performance. Keep an eye out for these star kickers throughout the season.
Kennedale, TX
Sophomore
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Fort Payne, AL
Freshman
Auburn Tigers
Miami, FL
Junior
Miami Hurricanes
Flower Mound, TX
Junior
Texas Longhorns
Coppell, TX
Senior
Ole Miss Rebels
Colleyville, TX
Junior
UTSA Roadrunners
Los Angeles, CA
Junior
Penn State Nittany Lions
Chandler, AZ
Junior
Michigan Wolverines
Oak Creek, WI
Senior
Minnesota Golden Gophers
North Augusta, SC
Sophomore
Iowa Hawkeyes
Bakersfield, CA
Sophomore
Fresno State Bulldogs
Scottsdale, AZ
Junior
Washington Huskies
Cincinnati, OH
Senior
Alabama Crimson Tide
Nicholson finished the season 26-for-27 on field goals, with his only miss coming late in Miami’s MAC Championship Game victory over Toledo. With a 23-for-23 regular season, Nicholson set a new FBS record for the most field goals in a perfect regular season, topping 2012 Lou Groza Award winner Cairo Santos’ mark of 21. Add two more to start the MAC Championship Game and he made 25 consecutive field goals, matching the all-time FBS record for the longest streak in one season. Overall, his 26 field goals tied for the second-most in FBS while his 96.3% accuracy was the highest by any kicker with even 15 attempts on the year. He also set the bar for consistency by making field goals in every game of the season. Of the eight FBS kickers who made at least 23 field goals, he’s the only one who can make that claim. He kicked multiple field goals in nine games, including a trio of 3-for-3 performances. In two of those, he outscored the RedHawks’ opponent on his own, totaling 11 points in both a 23-3 win over Kent State and a 23-10 victory over Buffalo.
Broomfield, CO
Junior
Wyoming Cowboys
Spartanburg, SC
Freshman
Virginia Tech Hokies
Meridian, ID
Senior
Boise State Broncos
Liberty Hill, TX
Sophomore
Texas State Bobcats
Springboro, OH
Senior
Air Force Falcons
Liberty Hill, TX
Senior
Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors
Charleston, WV
Senior
Appalachian State Mountaineers
Peachtree City, GA
Senior
USC Trojans
Avon, OH
Sophomore
Wisconsin Badgers
Raleigh, NC
Senior
North Carolina Tar Heels
Lafayette, LA
Freshman
Georgia Bulldogs
Plano, TX
Senior
Texas A&M Aggies
Coolidge, GA
Junior
Florida State Seminoles
Cornelius, NC
Junior
Duke Blue Devils
Severna Park, MD
Sophomore
Florida Gators
Lucas, TX
Junior
Arizona Wildcats
Miami, FL
Junior
Virginia Cavaliers