Inside The Panthers

Pitt’s Ben Sauls Named National Award Semifinalist

Pitt Panthers placekicker Ben Sauls is a national award semifinalist.

Dominic Campbell

Nov 9, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers place kicker Ben Sauls (90) kicks off to the Virginia Cavaliers during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Nov 9, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers place kicker Ben Sauls (90) kicks off to the Virginia Cavaliers during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
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PITTSBURGH -- Pitt Panthers redshirt senior placekicker Ben Sauls has had a sensational 2024 campaign and is receiving national recognition for it.

Sauls earned a spot as one of the semifinalists for the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, which recognizes the best kicker in college football.

He is 17-for-20 on field goal attempts, 85% in 2024, and made his first 13 attempts, before missing a 47-yard field goal in the second quarter of the 48-25 loss to then ranked No. 20 SMU on the road in Week 10.

His 49-yard field goal in the first quarter for Syracuse in Week 9 was his 13th straight field goal dating back to 2023, which set a new school record for most consecutive field goals. This eclipsed the previous record of 12, that both Chris Ferenick in 1995 and Conor Lee in 2007 set, and he had 15 consecutive he made before that miss vs. SMU.

Sauls also made a 58-yard field goal vs.Cal in their Week 7 matchup on Oct. 12 at Acrisure Stadium, that tied former Pitt kicker Alex Kessman's 58-yarder he converted against Boston College in 2020 to send the game into overtime. It is also the longest field goal at Acrisure Stadium in Pitt history, as Chris Boswell of the Pittsburgh Steelers made one from 59 yards there.

His best game of the season came against Cincinnati in the River City Rivalry on the road in Week 2, for which he earned ACC Specialist of the Week and Lou Groza Star of the Week honors.

Sauls finished the day 3-for-3 on field goals, including the only points in the second half from 47 yards and a career-high of 53 yards at the end of the first half. He would also hit the game winning field goal from 35 yards out in front of his friends and family, as he grew up 65 miles north of Cincinnati.

He also has four field goals of 50 yards or more, tying Kessman, who also had four in both 2018 and 2020. He ranks 13th in the country with 1.70 field goals per game, No. 18 in the country with 89 total points No. 19 with 8.9 points per game.

Sauls has had some great moments is most famous for his heroics against UCLA in the 2022 Sun Bowl. Against the Bruins, Sauls went 5-of-5 in the El Paso, Texas wind. He made kicks from 22, 49, 31, 27 and 47 yards against UCLA. Sauls made the 47-yard field goal as time dwindled down to seal the Sun Bowl victory for the Panthers.

He is just the third Panther to earn a Lou Groza Semifinalist honor, along with Kessman in 2020 and Ferencik, who was a finalist for the 1995 award.

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

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