WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — This year's Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award has a distinctly Florida feel to it.
Miami's Andres Borregales, Florida State's Ryan Fitzgerald and Florida's Trey Smack are among the 20 semifinalists for the award presented to the top kicker in college football, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced Thursday.
Borregales is one of six kickers who have been semifinalists before.
A semifinalist in 2022, Borregales is 17-for-19 on field goal attempts this season. His lone misses were from 54 and 45 yards out. He's also made 29 of 30 extra-point attempts. Borregales' older brother, Jose, won the Lou Groza Award while kicking for the Hurricanes in 2020.
Fitzgerald has connected on 11 of 12 field goal attempts this season and all 45 extra points. He leads the No. 4 Seminoles in scoring with 78 points.
Florida State has more Lou Groza Award winners than any other school since it was established in 1992. Sebastian Janikowski – the only two-time winner – took home the trophy in 1998 and 1999, while Graham Gano won the award in 2008 and Roberto Aguayo won it in 2013.
Smack has converted on 14 of 16 field goal tries and is a perfect 19-for-19 on extra points. He took over place-kicking duties during the Gators' 29-16 upset of then-No. 11 Tennessee on Sept. 16.
Borregales and Fitzgerald will face off this Saturday when the undefeated Seminoles host the Hurricanes in Tallahassee. In a rivalry in which kicking has played such a pivotal role, their performances may help to narrow the field come Nov. 28, when the three finalists will be announced.
The winner will be announced Dec. 8.
Aguayo will be the keynote speaker at next month's award banquet at the West Palm Beach Marriott. ESPN 106.3 FM's Theo Dorsey will serve as emcee.
