WEST PALM BEACH (July 24, 2019) - FIU football's Jose Borregales was named to the Lou Groza Award Watch List, the organization announced on Wednesday, as the Panthers continue to rack up preseason honors on the national stage. 

Borregales is one of 30 players selected to Wednesday's list. Accomplishments are tabulated throughout the season and the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award will announce its 20 semifinalists on Thursday, Nov. 7. From this list, a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers selects the top three finalists for the award, announced on Tuesday, Nov. 26. That same group then selects the national winner, who will be announced on Thursday, Dec. 12 during the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN.

The 28th Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, presented by the Orange Bowl Committee, recognizes the three finalists during a celebration in Palm Beach County, culminating with a gala awards banquet at West Palm Beach's Kravis Center for the Performing Arts on Dec. 9. 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.

Borregales, a 2018 Lou Groza Award semifinalist, ranks fifth all-time on FIU's career point list after earning 181 in just two seasons. The kicker also owns school records for most PATs made in a game (9), PATs made in a season (54) and longest made field goal after nailing a 53-yarder in the 24-21 victory over Middle Tennessee last season. 

As a reminder, season tickets for the 2019 FIU football season are now on sale. For more information, or to order your tickets by phone, please call (305) FIU-GAME.

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Entering its 18th year of football in 2019, the FIU Panthers are coming off a program-best nine wins a season ago. FIU capped 2018 with a 35-32 victory over Toledo in the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl to finish the season 9-4 overall. Under legendary head coach Butch Davis, the Panthers have earned back-to-back bowl appearances and 17 wins in the last two years.
 
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