Oklahoma State Kicker Lands on Groza Award Watch List

Oklahoma State’s kicker could be among the nation’s best next season.

With college football getting closer, major awards watch lists have begun to trickle out, and on Friday, the Lou Groza Award watch list was released and featured OSU kicker Gabe Panikowski. The Groza Award is given to the top collegiate place kicker in the country each year, and OSU might have a chance to get that hardware if its transfer can continue his elite kicking.

The Cowboys added Panikowski this offseason, and while he was one of many additions from the transfer portal, he might have been the most overlooked. A good kicker can certainly change games in college football, and while most kickers are simply berated for their key misses, Panikowski might be able to give OSU a true star in the kicking game next season.

Last season, Panikowski was 15-of-15 on field goal attempts at Idaho State and finished 44-of-47 overall on his kicks for the season. Next season at OSU will mark Panikowski’s fourth team in four seasons, also spending time at Sacramento State and Riverside City College. 

Although his career had a rocky start, Panikowski found his groove as a place kicker at Idaho State and emerged as one of the best in the country. While it will be tough for Panikowski to replicate his perfect mark on field goals in 2025, anything close to that would be a welcome sight for Mike Gundy’s team.

Considering OSU is desperate to get back to its winning ways, having an elite kicker could give the team a significant boost in 2025. While there is no guarantee that Panikowski’s results from the FCS level will follow him to Stillwater, his leg should be a strength for the Cowboys as the season progresses.

With some tight losses in Big 12 games last season that ultimately kept OSU on the outside of the bowl picture, simply having a reliable kicker who can deliver in big moments would be huge. If Panikowski can continue to make noise and be in the Groza conversation as the season progresses, it could be a great sign for the state of OSU's special teams.