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Texas' Mason Shipley named to Lou Groza Award watch list

On3 imageby: Justin Wells08/01/25
Mason Shipley

Texas senior kicker Mason Shipley was placed on the preseason watch list for the 2025 Lou Groza Award, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced Friday. The award annually recognizes college football’s top place-kicker.

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Shipley brings veteran experience to Texas’ special teams after playing in 38 career games across three seasons at Texas State. The Liberty Hill, Texas product has connected on 31-of-35 career field goals (88.6 percent) and 111 PATs. Landing on the 2024 Lou Groza Award watch list, Shipley went 15-of-19 (78.9 percent) on field goals with a long of 60 as a redshirt junior. He appeared in all 13 games in 2024 and hit a 60-yard field goal vs. Sam Houston, setting a program and Sun Belt Conference record. He was tabbed a Lou Groza Award semifinalist in 2023 after making 15-of-15 field goals, becoming one of two kickers in the country with a 100 percent field goal mark. He established a TSU record with his 15 made field goals and scored the second-most points in program history (103).

He converted on all four field goal attempts from 40-49 yards out, as well. He has also had significant kickoff duty experience after kicking off 72 times for 3,916 yards and 18 touchbacks in two seasons.

Accomplishments are tabulated throughout the season and the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award will announce its 20 semifinalists on 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 Nov. 25. That same group then selects the national winner, who will be announced on 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, Florida. 

Shipley and the Longhorns kick off the season on the road at Ohio State at 11 a.m. CT Saturday, Aug. 30, inside Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. The game will broadcast as part of FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff, and ESPN’s College GameDay will broadcast live from the Ohio State University campus. College GameDay will air for three hours from 8-11 a.m. CT, hosted by Rece Davis, Lee Corso, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban, Kirk Herbstreit and other ESPN personalities. It will be the final show for longtime ESPN personality Lee Corso as he is set to retire following Week 1 of the 2025 season.

(via Texas release)

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