FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 1, 2005
Contact: Justine K. Mitchell, Public Relations Manager, (561) 233-3189, jmitchell@palmbeachsports.com

Lou Groza Award Stars of the Week

WEST PALM BEACH, FL – Due to the effects of Hurricane Wilma, last week’s edition of the Lou Groza Award Stars of the Week was unable to be distributed.  This week’s Lou Groza Award Stars of the Week includes the Top Three Stars for the weeks ending October 22 and 29.

Making the list of the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Top Three Stars for the week ending October 22 are Garrett Hartley of Oklahoma, Jamie Christensen of Alabama and Brandon Coutu of Georgia.  

In the Sooner’s double overtime win over Baylor, Garrett Hartley hit a 39-yard field goal to tie the game in the first overtime, which led to a victory in the second overtime.  Hartley was three for three on field goal attempts, scoring from 32, 25 and 39 yards. 

In a game where all points were scored from field goals, Jamie Christensen’s 34-yard field goal with 13 seconds left gave Alabama a 6-3 win over Tennessee and Christensen his second straight game-winner. The first points of the game came in the third quarter when Christensen made a 33-yard field goal.

With Georgia quarterback D.J. Shockley sidelined by a sprained knee, the Bulldog’s Brandon Coutu came through on special teams and was three for three in Georgia’s 23-20 win over Arkansas, hitting field goals from 32, 48 and 27-yards. 

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Mason Crosby of Colorado, Jason Smith of Colorado State and Josh Brown of South Carolina are this week’s Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Top Three Stars of the Week.

Mason Crosby’s 50-yard field goal with six seconds left propelled Colorado to a 23-20 win at Kansas State.  Crosby made two additional field goals in the game from 42 and 52-yards.  His 52 and 50 yard field goals gave him three over 50 yards this season.  

Jason Smith booted three of his four field goals in a second-half comeback of Colorado State, who trailed New Mexico 25-12 at halftime.  Smith was four for four with field goals from 30, 41, 28 and 25.

South Carolina won for the first time in Knoxville after Josh Brown kicked a 49-yard field goal with 2:45 left and the Gamecocks hung on for a 16-15 victory over Tennessee. 

For more information on the Top Three Stars of the Week, including photos and bios, please visit http://www.lougrozaaward.com/Candidates/index.htm.

The Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award presented by the FedEx Orange Bowl recognizes the top place-kicker in NCAA Division I-A football.  The 20 semi-finalists for the Lou Groza Award are announced Monday, November 7, followed by the naming of the three Award finalists on Monday, November 21.  The top three finalists are honored during the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Dinner, an event of the Palm Beach County Sports Institute, on Tuesday, December 6 at the Palm Beach Gardens Marriott. The 2005 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award winner is announced on Thursday, December 8 during the ESPN Home Depot College Football Award Show in Orlando, Florida. 

All Division I-A kickers are eligible for the Award named for NFL Hall-of-Fame Kicker Lou "The Toe" Groza. Voters for the award include Division I-A head coaches, sports writers and sportscasters, conference representatives, professional kickers and previous Groza Award finalists.

The Lou Groza Award is presented by the FedEx Orange Bowl and is sponsored by BankAtlantic, Clipper Corporate Apparel and Promotions, Continental Airlines, Crooks Printing Services, ESPN Radio 760, ESPN Regional Television, Florida Atlantic University Athletics, Florida Coca-Cola Bottling Company, JBS Destination Solutions, John F. Romano, P.A., KaBloom, Palm Beach Kennel Club, Parallax Productions, Rooney’s Public House, Palm Beach Gardens Marriott, Team A-fin-ity Sportfishing, The Breakers, The Palm Beach Post and WPEC News-12.

For more information regarding the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, please contact Dusty Ann Williams at the Palm Beach County Sports Institute at (561) 233-3122 or Justine Mitchell at (561) 233-3189.

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