WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Mitchell Fineran ended the 2021 season with a 39-yard field goal to give Purdue Football a thrilling overtime victory in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl. Now, Boilermakers' kicker will begin the 2022 campaign on the Lou Groza Award Watch List, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced Wednesday morning (July 27).
The Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, named for National Football League Hall of Fame kicker Lou "The Toe" Groza, is awarded annually to the best kicker in college football.
In his first season as a Boilermaker, Fineran made 24 of his 29 field goal attempts for an 82.8 percent conversion rate. The Samford transfer earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors from both the coaches and media, leading the conference with 1.85 field goal per game and ranking third nationally. Fineran's field goal percentage and scoring (8.6 ppg) also cracked the country's Top 25.
Fineran started his Purdue career by drilling his first nine field goals, including a season-long 49-yarder in the win over Oregon State. The graduate student made four field goals in three different games throughout the 2021 season. Fineran's four field goals helped the Boilermakers knock off No. 3 Michigan State, and he added four more at the friendly confines of Wrigley Field as Purdue took down Northwestern. Wrapping up 2021, Fineran put an exclamation point on the season with a 4-for-4 performance in the Music City Bowl that included the game-winner in overtime.
Fineran and Purdue kick off the 2021 season at home, facing Penn State in a Big Ten battle under the lights of Ross-Ade Stadium (Sept.1). Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET as part of a national broadcast on FOX.
The Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, named for National Football League Hall of Fame kicker Lou "The Toe" Groza, is awarded annually to the best kicker in college football.
In his first season as a Boilermaker, Fineran made 24 of his 29 field goal attempts for an 82.8 percent conversion rate. The Samford transfer earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors from both the coaches and media, leading the conference with 1.85 field goal per game and ranking third nationally. Fineran's field goal percentage and scoring (8.6 ppg) also cracked the country's Top 25.
Fineran started his Purdue career by drilling his first nine field goals, including a season-long 49-yarder in the win over Oregon State. The graduate student made four field goals in three different games throughout the 2021 season. Fineran's four field goals helped the Boilermakers knock off No. 3 Michigan State, and he added four more at the friendly confines of Wrigley Field as Purdue took down Northwestern. Wrapping up 2021, Fineran put an exclamation point on the season with a 4-for-4 performance in the Music City Bowl that included the game-winner in overtime.
Fineran and Purdue kick off the 2021 season at home, facing Penn State in a Big Ten battle under the lights of Ross-Ade Stadium (Sept.1). Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET as part of a national broadcast on FOX.