Texas Tech University Athletics
Bellenfant placed on Groza watch list
August 01, 2025 | Football
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Texas Tech junior Upton Bellenfant was one of 30 FBS place kickers named to the 2025 Lou Groza Award watch list, announced by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission on Friday. The award is presented annually to the nation's top place-kicker.
Bellenfant, an All-MAC Third Team selection last season at Buffalo, joined the Red Raiders this past spring with two seasons of eligibility. He began his career at Alabama (2022-23) and saw limited playing time before transferring to Buffalo for a highly successful first season seeing collegiate action.
Bellenfant's final game at Buffalo was one for the record books in its Bahamas Bowl victory, going 4-for-5 and connecting for a career-long 52-yarder. He finished with not only his first four-field goal game, but the first ever in Bahamas Bowl history. The performance pushed him to 18 field goals (18-for-21) on the year, the second-most ever by a Bulls kicker in one season.
While the watch list highlights 30 of the best returning kickers in the country, all three finalists from 2024 have graduated, creating a wide-open field in 2025. And its winner in 2024, Kenneth Almendares (Louisiana), was not on last year's preseason watch list, proof that the Groza Committee will be watching all FBS kickers throughout the season, as all FBS kickers remain eligible to be selected as semifinalists. The Committee also releases its "Stars of the Week" feature throughout the season on www.lougrozaaward.com.
Accomplishments are tabulated throughout the season and the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award will announce its 20 semifinalists on Tuesday, Nov. 18. From this list, a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers selects the top three finalists for the award, announced on Tuesday, Nov. 25. That same group then selects the national winner, who will be announced on Friday, Dec. 12 during the Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.
The 34th Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, presented by the Orange Bowl, recognizes the three finalists during a celebration in Palm Beach County, culminating with a gala awards banquet on Dec. 8 in West Palm Beach, Fla.
ABOUT THE LOU GROZA AWARD
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. Visit www.lougrozaaward.com for additional information and updates throughout the season, on social media, follow @LouGrozaAward on Twitter/X.
NCFAA WATCH LISTS
The Lou Groza Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football's most prestigious awards. Sixteen NCFAA members are unveiling preseason watch lists over a two-week-plus period as the association spearheads a coordinated effort to promote each award's preseason candidates.
The following is the 2025 preseason watch list calendar:
- TECH -
Bellenfant, an All-MAC Third Team selection last season at Buffalo, joined the Red Raiders this past spring with two seasons of eligibility. He began his career at Alabama (2022-23) and saw limited playing time before transferring to Buffalo for a highly successful first season seeing collegiate action.
Bellenfant's final game at Buffalo was one for the record books in its Bahamas Bowl victory, going 4-for-5 and connecting for a career-long 52-yarder. He finished with not only his first four-field goal game, but the first ever in Bahamas Bowl history. The performance pushed him to 18 field goals (18-for-21) on the year, the second-most ever by a Bulls kicker in one season.
While the watch list highlights 30 of the best returning kickers in the country, all three finalists from 2024 have graduated, creating a wide-open field in 2025. And its winner in 2024, Kenneth Almendares (Louisiana), was not on last year's preseason watch list, proof that the Groza Committee will be watching all FBS kickers throughout the season, as all FBS kickers remain eligible to be selected as semifinalists. The Committee also releases its "Stars of the Week" feature throughout the season on www.lougrozaaward.com.
Accomplishments are tabulated throughout the season and the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award will announce its 20 semifinalists on Tuesday, Nov. 18. From this list, a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers selects the top three finalists for the award, announced on Tuesday, Nov. 25. That same group then selects the national winner, who will be announced on Friday, Dec. 12 during the Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.
The 34th Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, presented by the Orange Bowl, recognizes the three finalists during a celebration in Palm Beach County, culminating with a gala awards banquet on Dec. 8 in West Palm Beach, Fla.
ABOUT THE LOU GROZA AWARD
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. Visit www.lougrozaaward.com for additional information and updates throughout the season, on social media, follow @LouGrozaAward on Twitter/X.
NCFAA WATCH LISTS
The Lou Groza Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football's most prestigious awards. Sixteen NCFAA members are unveiling preseason watch lists over a two-week-plus period as the association spearheads a coordinated effort to promote each award's preseason candidates.
The following is the 2025 preseason watch list calendar:
- Mon., July 28: Maxwell Award
- Tue., July 29: Outland Trophy/Bronko Nagurski Trophy
- Wed., July 30: Paycom Jim Thorpe Award/Butkus Award
- Thu., July 31: Paul Hornung Award/Allstate Wuerffel Trophy
- Fri., Aug. 1: Lou Groza Award/Ray Guy Award
- Mon., Aug. 4: Walter Camp Award
- Tue., Aug. 5: Doak Walker Award
- Wed., Aug. 6: Biletnikoff Award
- Thu., Aug. 7: Davey O'Brien Award
- Fri., Aug. 8: Mackey Award/Rimington Trophy
- Mon., Aug. 11: Bednarik Award
- TECH -
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