Palm Beach County Sports Commission

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – 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.”

Pitt kicker Alex Kessman took over the national lead in field goals after an exceptional performance in the Panthers’ 47-14 win over Virginia Tech in Pittsburgh, Pa. on Saturday. The senior from Clarkston, Mich. went 4-for-4 on field goals, including a pair of long-range blasts from 53 and 52 yards. Kessman now has 18 field goals in nine games, with an FBS-best four makes from at least 50 yards. He has made 12 of 18 long-distance attempts in his career, the best percentage in NCAA history among kickers with at least 15 tries from that range. Kessman also made five PATs for a career-best 17 points.

Just three games into his collegiate career, Parker Lewis already has a 4-for-4 performance to his name, coming up big in USC’s 33-17 win over Utah on the road in Salt Lake City on Saturday. The true freshman connected from 47, 43, 36 and 24 yards, putting the game away by scoring all the Trojans’ second half points. The Phoenix, Ariz. native also went 3-for-3 on PATs for a 15-point game. Despite not getting a field goal attempt in USC’s opener, Lewis has now scored a team-best 29 points in just three games.

Cincinnati was tested for the first time this season, but kicker Cole Smith and the Bearcats rose to the occasion with a 36-33 road win over UCF on Saturday. The junior from Middletown, Ohio was a perfect 3-for-3 on both field goals and extra points, coming through with 12 vital points to keep Cincinnati undefeated after eight games for the first time since 2009. Smith connected from 47, 26 and 22 yards out, one in each of the first three quarters to keep the team close enough for a fourth quarter comeback win. His 57 points rank second on the team in scoring.

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 Twitter.

National College Football Awards Association

The Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit NCFAA.org and @NCFAA on Twitter to learn more about the association.

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 support 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, the Kids Fitness Festival of the Palm Beaches, and the annual Holiday Basketball Classic of the Palm Beaches. For more information on the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, go to www.palmbeachsports.com.