Oklahoma redshirt junior kicker Tate Sandell has been named one of 20 semifinalists for the 2025 Lou Groza Award, the nation’s most coveted honor for college football placekickers. The announcement, made Tuesday by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, highlights Sandell’s emergence as the top specialist in the country just days after the Sooners’ thrilling 23-21 upset victory over No. 20 Alabama on the road. This rare semifinalist nod—only 20 players advance from an initial watchlist of over 300—puts Sandell in elite company, as the Groza Award, presented annually since 1992, has crowned legends like Florida State’s Dustin Hopkins and Alabama’s Will Reichard.
Sandell, a transfer from UTSA who arrived in Norman this offseason, has been nothing short of automatic in 2025. He’s converted 21 of 22 field goal attempts (95.5% success rate, leading the SEC) and all 28 extra points, accounting for a staggering 91 of Oklahoma’s 283 total points—over 32% of the team’s scoring. His current streak of 21 consecutive made field goals is the longest in Sooners history and the second-longest in SEC annals, trailing only Florida’s Chad Stanley (22 in 1996). But it’s Sandell’s long-range mastery that truly sets him apart: He’s a perfect 7-for-7 on kicks of 50+ yards, leading the nation (the next closest has four), and has drained 14 field goals of 40+ yards, a single-season Oklahoma record and tops in FBS. Among his highlights: a school-record-tying four field goals (including three from 50+ yards) in the Tennessee win, and three more long bombs (55, 52, and 50 yards) against Alabama—making him just the second FBS kicker since 1995 to nail seven 50+ yarders without a miss.
This Groza semifinalist distinction caps a week of accolades for Sandell, who earned his third SEC Special Teams Player of the Week honor following the Alabama game—his second straight and a program first for a kicker. Earlier nods came after a 55-yard bomb in the Kent State rout (Week 6) and his heroics at Tennessee (Week 10). “Tate’s been automatic all year,” raved OU offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle. “He’s not just making kicks—he’s winning games from 50 yards out.”
Sandell’s Road to Stardom
A 5’9”, 182-pound native of Port Neches, Texas, Sandell was a top-15 national kicker recruit in the class of 2022 out of Port Neches-Grove High School, where he set a school record with 67 career extra points. After two seasons at UTSA (where he handled both kicking and punting), he transferred to Oklahoma seeking a bigger stage in the SEC. The move paid off immediately: His average make distance of 41.8 yards leads the nation (minimum 18 attempts), and he’s the first FBS kicker since 2021 to hit three 50+ yarders in a single game. Sandell’s poise under pressure—especially in hostile environments like Neyland Stadium and Bryant-Denny—has been pivotal for an 8-2 Sooners team eyeing a New Year’s Six bowl.
What’s Next for Sandell and the Sooners?
The Groza Award finalists (top 3) will be revealed November 26, with the winner announced December 9 in Atlanta during the NCFAA ceremony. Sandell’s semifinalist status is a “few achieve” milestone: Since 2010, only 11 Oklahoma kickers have even made the watchlist, and none have won. As for OU, they host No. 23 Missouri on Saturday (11 a.m. CT, ESPN) in a clash that could solidify their top-15 ranking. Sandell, who’s made at least one field goal in each of the last nine games, will be key in Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
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