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.

Christopher Dunn capped a record-setting career with his finest single season, going 24-for-25 on field goals. Both the total field goals and the 96% hit rate rank second in FBS this season, while his accuracy mark is the best by any kicker with at least 20 attempts. Dunn was perfect over his first 22 attempts, going all the way into the regular season’s final game without a miss, drawing comparisons to 1996 Groza Award winner Marc Primanti’s perfect season. He made multiple field goals in eight games this year, most notably in the Wolfpack’s 19-17 win over Florida State. In that game, he went 4-for-4 on field goals, scoring the last 9 points of the game to turn a four-point deficit into a two-point win. That game also featured his longest field goal of the season, a 53-yarder in the fourth quarter.

Long field goals were one of his hallmarks this year, tied for second in the country with 17 field goals from at least 30 yards out and one of just four FBS kickers with at least 10 kicks from 40 yards or more. The fifth-year starter entered the year already NC State’s program leader in field goals and points, but this year’s performance put him over the top in the ACC record books and among the top performers in FBS history. His 93 career field goals are second all-time only to 2016 Groza winner Zane Gonzalez, while his 479 career points are the fourth-most by any FBS kicker ever.

Jake Moody, a senior from Northville, Michigan, was the only FBS kicker to make more than 20 field goals at a rate of 90% or better without missing an extra point during the 2021 season. At 22-for-24 on the season, his 91.7% accuracy was second-best among kickers with 20 field goals, and stands as by far the most accurate in Michigan history on at least 20 attempts. He kicked multiple field goals in Michigan’s first six conference games, making more kicks in that short stretch than all but 22 kickers made all season. He made multiple field goals seven times this season, including a pair of 4-for-4 performances. He finished the regular season with 122 points, tied for third in the nation. His 122-point season ranked second in program history and is the best ever by a Michigan kicker.

Jose Borregales, a senior from Miami, Florida, transferred to the Hurricanes ahead of the 2020 season and gave them one of the best years in program history. At 18-for-20 on field goals, his 90.0% accuracy rate was tied for the best in the nation among kickers with at least 20 attempts. His 8 field goals from at least 40 yards out were tied for 4th in the country and includes a 57-yard bomb that came as part of a 4-for-4 FG, 17-point performance on the road against Louisville. Combined with his totals at FIU, Borregales was third in the nation among active kickers with 68 career field goals.

Rodrigo Blankenship, a senior from Marietta, Georgia, became the Bulldogs’ all-time career scoring leader thanks to a 23-for-26 campaign that ties for second in FBS for made field goals. Three of those makes came from 50 yards out, tying him for the national lead for most field goals from long distance. His 88.5% conversion rate is the best among kickers with at least 20 attempts and at least one kick from 50 yards. He has never missed a PAT in 190 career attempts, including 36 this year that help lift his season scoring total to 105, tied for 2nd in the country.

The nation’s leading field goal kicker in 2018 was Andre Szmyt. Connecting on 28 of his 32 attempts, the freshman set a new Atlantic Coast Conference single-season record and finished the year with three more makes than any other kicker in the country. But his season was about so much more than just that one number. The 28 field goals included a perfect 3-for-3 mark on kicks from at least 50 yards. Against Pittsburgh, he connected on a season-long 54 yarder to give the Orange the lead late in the fourth quarter. It was his third field goal of the game, part of a stretch of four straight games in which he made three kicks. In fact, he made multiple field goals in each of the first ten games of the season, culminating in a 4-for-4 performance against Louisville. It’s no surprise then that he also scored double-digit points in each of those first ten games, helping him to a season total of 141 that lead the nation not only in kick-scoring but in scoring by any player regardless of position. While his totals grab the headlines – and don’t forget his perfect 57-for-57 extra point attempts – it hasn’t come at the expense of accuracy. His 87.5 field goal percentage was 2nd in the nation by kickers with more than 20 attempts.