Nov. 6, 2007
ATLANTA – Georgia Tech senior Travis Bell has been named one of 20 semifinalists for the 2007 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award presented by the FedEx Orange Bowl.
Bell, who has made 124-of-124 career PATs, is approaching 300 career points. He has tallied at least one point in each of his 47 career games and now has 292 for his career. He has successfully converted 18-of-21 field goal attempts and all 23 PATs this season, giving him a leg up for the Lou Groza Award. He is just the seventh player in NCAA history to convert 100 percent of at least 100 attempts. Bell’s field goal percentage this season (.857) is the third-highest in Georgia Tech history while his career percentage (.727) is the best in Yellow Jacket history.
Bell ranks sixth nationally and second in the ACC in field goals made per game (2.00). He converted 11 consecutive field goals during a stretch earlier this season and currently has made four in a row. Bell has made at least one field goal in every game this season. While his fourth-quarter field goal at Miami proved to be the game-winner in a 17-14 victory. He ranks second in the ACC and 37th nationally in scoring with 8.6 points per game. Among kickers, Bell ranks second in the ACC and 19th nationally in scoring.
Bell ranks fourth in the ACC in field goal percentage (.857) and first among players with at least 20 attempts. He has scored 77 of Georgia Tech’s 228 points this season and has twice flirted with the school single-game record for points by a kicker (the record is 17 points). Bell had 15 points in the season opener and 14 points Sept. 8 vs. Samford. He has scored in double figures four times this season. Bell ranks third in Georgia Tech scoring history and is eight points shy of 300 career points. He ranks second in Tech history for career field goals made (56) and career PATs made (124).
The Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award recognizes the top place-kicker in NCAA Division I-A football. Voters for the award include Division I-A head coaches, sports writers and sportscasters, conference representatives, professional kickers, and previous Groza Award finalists.
The three finalists for the Lou Groza Award are announced on Monday, November 19 and will be honored at the 16th Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Banquet on Tuesday, December 4 at the Palm Beach Gardens Marriott. The 2007 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award winner will be announced on Thursday, December 6 during the ESPN Home Depot College Football Award Show in Orlando, Florida.
The award, now in its 16th year, is named for NFL Hall-of-Fame kicker Lou 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. Nicknamed “The Toe,” Groza was one of the first people to truly make kicking an art form, and he helped usher in to football the idea that a player could be used exclusively for kicking.
Lou Groza Award Semifinalists
Connor Barth, North Carolina
Travis Bell, Georgia Tech
Michael Braunstein, Ohio University
Kyle Brotzman, Boise State
Gary Cismesia, Florida State
Jud Dunlevy, Virginia Tech
Matt Evensen, Oregon
Steven Hauschka, North Carolina State
Daniel Lincoln, Tennessee
Jose Martinez, UTEP
Pat McAfee, West Virginia
Taylor Mehlhaff, Wisconsin
Ryan Pretorius, Ohio State
Jason Reda, Illinois
Louie Sakoda, Utah
Alexis Serna, Oregon State
Austin Starr, Indiana
Sam Swank, Wake Forest
Swayze Waters, UAB
Thomas Weber, Arizona State
