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Preseason Award Watch List Takes Notice Of The Big Boot On Texas Kicker Bert Auburn

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Football

Texas junior kicker Bert Auburn was named to the Lou Groza Award watch list, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced.

It is the first time in his career that Auburn has landed on the preseason watch list for the award that annually honors college football's top place-kicker.

Auburn is a third-year kicker who has appeared in 14 games who was named honorable mention All-Big 12 in 2022. Last season, the Flower Mound, Texas native converted 21-of-26 field goal attempts (80.8%) and all 55 point after tries on the way to ranking second in the Big 12 Conference with 118 points scored. He earned Lou Groza Award Star of the Week accolades following the Alabama game after converting 4-of-5 field goals against the top-ranked Crimson Tide, including a 49-yard field goal that gave the Longhorns the lead with 1:29 remaining in the game.

His 118 points in 2022 were the eighth-most in a season for a Longhorn and the second-highest single-season total for a Texas kicker in program history. Auburn's 21 field goals were the fourth-most in a season in UT history, while his 80.8% accuracy rate was the ninth-best mark in a season for a Longhorn (min. 10 attempts). Additionally, his 55 successful extra point attempts without a miss were the second-most in a season for a Longhorn (Hunter Lawrence - 60 in 2008) and his current streak of 58 successful point after attempts is the sixth-longest streak in UT history.

Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award will announce its 20 semifinalists on Thursday, November 9th. 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, November 28th. That same group then selects the national winner, who will be announced in December during the Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.

The 32nd 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 December 4th in West Palm Beach, Florida.