Lou Groza Award “Stars of the Week” for Week 9

Lou Groza Award “Stars of the Week” for Week 9

Nov. 3, 2026 (WEST PALM BEACH) – 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.”

Luke Drzewiecki’s 60-yard field goal with 19 seconds left seemed to be the winner, but Paddy McAteer matched it as time expired, making Indiana’s eventual 23-16 overtime win over Minnesota the first game in college football history with two kicks from 60 yards. While Drzewiecki’s school came out on the losing end, his three-for-three performance included not only the 60-yarder but also makes from 51 and 37 yards, making him just the third kicker in program history with multiple field goals of at least 50 yards in a game. The fifth-year kicker from Shelby Township, Michigan, is 15-for-15 this season, the most makes by an FBS kicker yet to miss.

Nolan Hauser extended his FBS lead in field goals this season with a five-for-five performance in Clemson’s 36-24 road win over Florida State. The junior from Cornelius, North Carolina, connected from 50, 49, 46, and twice from 35 yards, marking just the second time in Clemson history that a kicker converted more than 200 yards’ worth of field goals in a game. It was Hauser’s second five-for-five game of the season. He is the first Clemson kicker with three consecutive games of at least three field goals since 2015.

Jorge Diaz Nicolas put his name atop the program record book as the first kicker in Marshall history to make five field goals in a game in the Thundering Herd’s 36-23 road win over Old Dominion. The freshman from Madrid, Spain, was consistent, making kicks from 35, 34, 30, 30, and 24 yards to set the new program record. His 14 field goals this season are tied for 10th in FBS and lead all Sun Belt Conference kickers. No Marshall kicker has ever finished as his conference’s leading field goal kicker since the school moved to the FBS level.

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 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 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.