Bert Auburn named to Lou Groza Award watch list
Texas kicker Bert Auburn was named to the Lou Groza Award watch list on Wednesday, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced. The Lou Groza Award is given annually to the nation’s best place-kicker.
[Join Inside Texas for just $1 or get 25% off an annual subscription!]
Auburn, a junior from Flower Mound (Texas), was the place-kicker for the Longhorns in the 2022 season. He was 21-of-26 on field goal attempts, including two considerably important makes early in the season. He nailed a go-ahead 49-yard field goal, his season long, versus Alabama in Week 2, then a game tying 44-yard field goal at the end of regulation in Lubbock versus Texas Tech.
In addition to his 80.8 percent accuracy on field goals, Auburn made all 55 of his extra point attempts during the 2022 season. His 2022 earned him honorable mention All-Big 12 honors.
Prior to 2022, Auburn appeared in one game versus Rice during his freshman season in 2021.
Despite several Longhorn place-kickers earning All-America honors since the Groza was first awarded in 1992, including Phil Dawson, Kris Stockton, Hunter Lawrence, and Anthony Fera, no Texas kicker has ever taken home the honor.
Fellow specialist Ryan Sanborn also made his way onto a watch list on Wednesday. Sanborn, a graduate transfer from Stanford, was named to the Ray Guy Award watch list, the August Sports Council announced. The Ray Guy Award honors the best punter in college football.
