Ole Miss Kicker Lucas Carneiro Named to Lou Groza Award Preseason Watch List

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Ole Miss senior kicker Lucas Carneiro has been named to the preseason watch list for the 2026 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced Friday.

Carneiro, a Cornelius, North Carolina native, was a semifinalist for the award last season. He set an FBS record by making 31 field goals in 2025, including nine during the College Football Playoff. He earned first-team All-SEC honors for his performance.

During the Sugar Bowl against No. 3 Georgia, Carneiro made two bowl-record field goals from 55 and 56 yards in the first quarter. With the game tied at 34 and six seconds remaining, he drilled a 47-yard kick to secure the victory for Ole Miss. His 58-yard field goal in the Fiesta Bowl marked the longest in school history since 1970.

In 2025, Carneiro was perfect on PATs, going 56 for 56, and recorded 93 touchbacks on kickoffs. The semifinalists for the award will be announced Nov. 17, with finalists named Nov. 24. The winner will be revealed during the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 10.

The Rebels are set to kick off the 2026 season on Sept. 6 against Louisville at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, following a semifinal appearance last season in the College Football Playoff.

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