RUSTON, La. – Louisiana Tech redshirt freshman kicker/punter Jacob Barnes has been named one of 20 semifinalists for the 2020 Lou Groza National Collegiate Place-Kicker Award present by the Orange Bowl as announced by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission on Monday.
 
Barnes, a native of Baton Rouge, La., has earned both Conference USA and Louisiana Sports Writers Association Special Teams Player of the Week honors twice this season. He opened the 2020 campaign with eight straight made field goals which was the most makes to open a season by a Bulldog since Matt Nelson in 2012. Barnes made four field goals in the loss at UTSA (Oct. 24) to become the only C-USA kicker and one of 20 kickers in the nation to have made four field goals in a single-game this season. He made the game-winning 35-yard field in the double overtime victory over UAB (Oct. 31). He is currently 10-for-11 in field goals this season, including a career-long 51 yarder against Houston Baptist (Sept. 26).
 
Barnes has not missed an extra point attempt this season as he is 32-for-32 in PATs, including a career-high 9-for-9 against Houston Baptist (Sept. 26). The redshirt freshman also serves as Louisiana Tech's punter where he has averaged 36.9 yards per punt and had a career-long 53-yard punt in the win over UAB (Oct. 31).
 
Given the unique nature of this college football season, the committee considered all FBS kickers who had played in at least six games and attempted at least 10 field goals through the games of Week 14.
 
Semifinalists will be voted on by a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers to select the three finalists. These finalists will be announced on December 22^nd and honored at the 29^th annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Awards Virtual Awards Celebration, streamed live on January 4^th on lougrozaaward.com. The same panel then selects the winner, who will be announced live on ESPN at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Thursday, January 7^th.
 
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.
 
Since the first Lou Groza Award was handed out in 1992, 28 finalists, including 16 winners, have gone on to appear in the NFL, earning 10 trips to the Pro Bowl and taking home six Super Bowls. That list includes 2020 NFL kickers Dan Bailey, Rodrigo Blankenship, Randy Bullock, Daniel Carlson, Mason Crosby, Jake Elliott, Ka'imi Fairbairn, Kai Forbath, Graham Gano, Matt Gay, Zane Gonzalez, Dustin Hopkins, Younghoe Koo, and Cairo Santos.
 
For more information regarding the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, please visit LouGrozaAward.com, or follow @LouGrozaAward on Twitter for updates as they happen.  Additional information can be obtained by contacting Jared Fleet, Event Manager at the Palm Beach County Sports Commission at (561) 233-3120 or jfleet@palmbeachsports.com.
 
2020 LOU GROZA AWARD SEMIFINALISTS

• Jacob Barnes, Louisiana Tech, R-Fr.
• Jose Borregales, Miami (FL), Sr.
• Gabe Brkic, Oklahoma, So.
• Anders Carlson, Auburn, Jr.
• Hunter Duplessis, UTSA, Sr.
• Alex Hale, Oklahoma State, So.
• Charlie Ham, Duke, Fr.
• Alex Kessman, Pitt, Sr.
• Evan McPherson, Florida, Jr.
• Harrison Mevis, Missouri, Fr.
• Chris Naggar, SMU, Sr.
• Brayden Narveson, Western Kentucky, So.
• Jake Oldroyd, BYU, So.
• Jack Podlesny, Georgia, So.
• B.T. Potter, Clemson, Jr.
• Will Reichard, Alabama, So.
• Nick Sciba, Wake Forest, Jr.
• Brandon Talton, Nevada, So.
• James Turner, Louisville, So.
• Cade York, LSU, So.