USF: South Florida Football’s Gramatica Named to Lou Groza Award Watch List

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From Florida SportsTicker

TAMPA  (www.thefloridasportswire.com) – South Florida junior kicker Nico Gramatica has been named to the preseason watch list for the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced Friday.

Gramatica is one of three American Conference players named to the 35-player watch list. The 35th Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, presented by the Orange Bowl, recognizes three finalists during a celebration in Palm Beach County, culminating with a banquet gala on December 7th 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. 

Gramatica earned Second Team American All-Conference honors last season, his first as the Bulls’ starting kicker. He went 18-of-24 (75%) on field goal attempts, tying for the fourth-best field goal total in program history, and added 59-of-60 on extra point attempts, setting a program record with 59 PAT. 

Gramatica’s 113 total points marked the second-best season total in program history. Among his field goals were a season-long 52-yarder in a win over No. 25 Boise State and a game-winning 20-yard field goal in a victory at No. 13 Florida. 

South Florida opened practice for the 2026 season on Aug. 5. Under first-year head coach Brian Hartline, the Bulls return four starters from a team that went 9-4 last season and welcome 62 new players. South Florida opens its 30th season of football, and its last in Raymond James Stadium before moving to a new on-campus stadium, on Saturday, Sept. 5 vs. FIU in a 7 p.m. kickoff. 

SOUTH FLORIDA 2026 NATIONAL AWARD WATCH LIST MEMBERS

Outland Trophy            Caleb Cook, Graduate, Guard

Lou Groza Award         Nico Gramatica, Junior, Kicker

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