Florida State fifth-year kicker Gabe Panikowski has landed on the Lou Groza Award Watch List, with the announcement coming Friday from the Palm Beach County Sports Commission.
The Groza Award goes to the nation’s top kicker each year, and this year’s watch list includes 35 players. Panikowski is shown on the list as a member of Oklahoma State, his previous school.
The award is set to celebrate its 35th anniversary in 2026, and Florida State’s history with it is already deep. The Seminoles have won the Groza Award four times, the most of any program.
Sebastian Janikowski took it in back-to-back seasons in 1998 and 1999, making him the only two-time winner. Graham Gano won in 2008, and Roberto Aguayo earned the honor in 2013.
Panikowski arrives at Florida State with a strong résumé. In 2024 at Idaho State, he was a first-team All-American and won the Fred Mitchell Award as the nation’s best non-FBS kicker.
He made all 15 of his field goal attempts, the most in the country without a miss. His 55-yard field goal ranked as the third-longest in FCS last season and the fourth-longest in Idaho State history.
Before that, at Riverside City College in 2023, Panikowski hit 15 of 21 field goal tries.
Semifinalists for the Groza Award will be announced on November 17, with three finalists following on November 24. The winner will be revealed on December 10 during the Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.
Florida State opens the 2026 season on August 29 at 7:00 p.m. against New Mexico State.
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Florida States No. 3 Receiver Battle Is Getting Hard To Ignore
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Florida State Is Sending A Clear Fall Camp Message
Competition has been the defining tone of Florida States fall camp, with the Seminoles making it clear that nothing will be handed out and no role is too small to matter. Coaches and players have repeatedly pointed to accountability and a team-first mindset, framing camp as a chance to build a roster that pushes itself instead of leaning on reputation or comfort.
Kam Martin and Mike Norvell have both underscored the same message from different angles: playing time has to be earned, and leadership has to be accepted no matter where a player sits on the depth chart. For a program trying to move past the disappointments of recent seasons, that internal edge may end up being just as important as anything that shows up on the practice field. [Read more 🡒]