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USC Kicker Caden Chittenden Named to 2025 Lou Groza Award Watch List
August 01, 2025 | Football
LOS ANGELES–USC sophomore kicker Caden Chittenden has been named to the 2025 Lou Groza Place-Kicker Award Watch List, today (Aug. 1). The Lou Groza Award celebrates the nation's top collegiate place-kicker.
Among the players on the Watch List are all 11 returning FBS kickers who made more than 20 field goals last season, and Chittenden is tied for the lead on that list with 26.
Chittenden has also been named to the 2025 Walter Camp Preseason All-America Second Team.
Chittenden, who transferred to USC in the spring of 2025 from UNLV, was one of the nation's top kickers as a freshman in 2024. He won a plethora of awards including being named First Team True Freshman All-American by 247Sports, Second Team Freshman All-American by The Athletic, College Football Network Honorable Mention All-American, College Football Network Freshman Specialist of the Year, College Football Network Freshman Kicker of the Year and Mountain West Freshman of the Year.
He earned placement on the All-Mountain West First Team and was the first freshman from UNLV named to the All-Mountain West First Team since 2006. He was also a semifinalist for the 2024 Lou Groza Award and a three-time Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week, as well as a three-time Mountain West Freshman of the Week.
Chittenden shattered the Mountain West and UNLV single-season record for field goals by a freshman (26). He led the nation in scoring among all kickers with 133, which tied for the most in UNLV history. He tied the UNLV record for field goals in a season by making 26-of-33 attempts on the year. He also tied a school record 55-of-56 extra points. He hit a season-long 52-yard field goal in a rainstorm win at San Jose State.
Chittenden also handled kickoff duties. He finished the season ranked No. 2 in the nation in field goals per game (1.86), No. 7 in the nation in total points scored among all positions (133) and No. 11 in the nation in scoring (9.5).
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.
The Award is named for National Football League Hall of Fame kicker Lou "The Toe" 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. Although an All-Pro offensive lineman as well, Groza ushered in the notion that there should be a place on an NFL roster for a kicker.
Among the players on the Watch List are all 11 returning FBS kickers who made more than 20 field goals last season, and Chittenden is tied for the lead on that list with 26.
Chittenden has also been named to the 2025 Walter Camp Preseason All-America Second Team.
Chittenden, who transferred to USC in the spring of 2025 from UNLV, was one of the nation's top kickers as a freshman in 2024. He won a plethora of awards including being named First Team True Freshman All-American by 247Sports, Second Team Freshman All-American by The Athletic, College Football Network Honorable Mention All-American, College Football Network Freshman Specialist of the Year, College Football Network Freshman Kicker of the Year and Mountain West Freshman of the Year.
He earned placement on the All-Mountain West First Team and was the first freshman from UNLV named to the All-Mountain West First Team since 2006. He was also a semifinalist for the 2024 Lou Groza Award and a three-time Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week, as well as a three-time Mountain West Freshman of the Week.
Chittenden shattered the Mountain West and UNLV single-season record for field goals by a freshman (26). He led the nation in scoring among all kickers with 133, which tied for the most in UNLV history. He tied the UNLV record for field goals in a season by making 26-of-33 attempts on the year. He also tied a school record 55-of-56 extra points. He hit a season-long 52-yard field goal in a rainstorm win at San Jose State.
Chittenden also handled kickoff duties. He finished the season ranked No. 2 in the nation in field goals per game (1.86), No. 7 in the nation in total points scored among all positions (133) and No. 11 in the nation in scoring (9.5).
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.
The Award is named for National Football League Hall of Fame kicker Lou "The Toe" 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. Although an All-Pro offensive lineman as well, Groza ushered in the notion that there should be a place on an NFL roster for a kicker.
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