College Kicks of the Week, Week 6: Tate Sandell Topples No. 1 Texas
By FKS Journal · Published · 4 min read
Oklahoma's offense managed 155 yards against Texas and still won, because Tate Sandell hit a 47-yarder as time ran out at the Cotton Bowl. Sooners 27, No. 1 Longhorns 24. It was Oklahoma's first win over a No. 1 team since 2007, and the kick had a 63% make chance.
Kick of the Week: Tate Sandell, 47 yards, Oklahoma over No. 1 Texas
This one had everything. Oklahoma scored on a blocked punt and a 42-yard interception return, and almost nothing else. With the game tied at 24 and 1:54 left, Texas's Gianni Spetic missed a 53-yarder wide right. Arch Manning got the ball back, but Courtland Guillory intercepted him with 19 seconds left. John Mateer hit Isaiah Sategna for 13 and 20 yards, both catches upheld on replay, and Tate Sandell came out for a 47-yarder.
Tate Sandell, 47 yards · Oklahoma vs. TexasMoment Walk-off winnerClock at the snap Q4 0:00Score before TiedFinal Oklahoma won 27-24Conditions Outdoors, 89°F, wind 5 mphMake chance from distance and conditions (FKS model). The hash is not in public play-by-play, so the kick is drawn from the middle.
Sandell had already had a rough day and a great one. He missed from 53 in the second quarter, then made a 53-yarder in the third. The winner was shorter, but it came on the final play with the golden hat on the line. College kickers made 694 of 1,122 tries from 46 to 48 yards over the last five seasons, 62%. The Oklahoma Sooners are 3-2. The last time they beat a No. 1 team was a 38-17 win over Missouri in 2007.
Runner-up: Max Gilbert, 55 yards, to tie Tennessee
Max Gilbert, 55 yards · Arkansas vs. TennesseeMoment Game-tying kickClock at the snap Q4 7:20Score before Arkansas down 3Final Tennessee won 24-17Operation Snap: Adam Johnston · Hold: Gavin RushConditions Outdoors, 89°F, wind 0 mphMake chance from distance and conditions (FKS model). The hash is not in public play-by-play, so the kick is drawn from the middle.
Down 17-14 to Tennessee with 7:20 left, Arkansas sent Max Gilbert out for a 55-yarder in 89-degree heat. It was good, and the game was tied. Our model gave it 49%. Tennessee scored the last touchdown and won 24-17, and Gilbert had missed a 38-yarder at the end of the first half.
Third: Rudy Kessinger, 48 yards, Eastern Michigan at Akron
Rudy Kessinger, 48 yards · Eastern Michigan vs. AkronMoment Go-ahead kickClock at the snap Q4 1:50Score before Eastern Michigan down 1Final Eastern Michigan won 25-23Operation Snap: Jack Kautz · Hold: Daniel HullConditions Outdoors, 67°F, wind 2 mphMake chance from distance and conditions (FKS model). The hash is not in public play-by-play, so the kick is drawn from the middle.
Rudy Kessinger put Eastern Michigan ahead 25-23 with a 48-yarder with 1:50 left. Akron drove back, and Matthew Schramm missed a 47-yarder with 19 seconds left. Kessinger is 9-for-11 this season.
Fourth: Jonah Delange, 57 yards, UAB at Memphis
Jonah Delange, 57 yards · UAB vs. MemphisClock at the snap Q2 0:44Score before TiedFinal Memphis won 38-13Operation Snap: Evan Bishop · Hold: Badger HargettConditions Outdoors, 73°F, wind 4 mphMake chance from distance and conditions (FKS model). The hash is not in public play-by-play, so the kick is drawn from the middle.
Jonah Delange hit a 57-yarder late in the first half of a tied game in Memphis. The Tigers pulled away 38-13. It's the longest make of the week.
Fifth: Derek Morris, 56 yards, UMass vs. Miami (OH)
Derek Morris, 56 yards · Massachusetts vs. Miami (OH)Clock at the snap Q2 14:11Score before Massachusetts down 7Final Miami (OH) won 20-19Operation Snap: Grant Mills · Hold: Edward PhillipsonConditions Outdoors, 61°F, wind 4 mphMake chance from distance and conditions (FKS model). The hash is not in public play-by-play, so the kick is drawn from the middle.
Gianni Spetic, 53 yards · Texas vs. OklahomaClock at the snap Q4 1:54Score before TiedFinal Oklahoma won 27-24Operation Snap: Trey Dubuc · Hold: Mac ChiumentoConditions Outdoors, 89°F, wind 5 mphMake chance from distance and conditions (FKS model). The hash is not in public play-by-play, so the kick is drawn from the middle.
Gianni Spetic had a 53-yarder with 1:54 left and the game tied. A make would have put No. 1 Texas ahead late. It went wide right, and Oklahoma won on the last play. A 53-yarder is close to a coin flip in college: kickers made 250 of 529 from 52 to 54 yards over the last five seasons, 47%. Spetic is 8-for-9 this season and had made a 52-yarder before this one.
Duke's Gavin Strange missed a 33-yarder with four seconds left that would have tied Georgia Tech, and the Blue Devils lost 28-25.
The week in numbers
The week in numbers table
Stat
This week
Field goals made
143 of 191 (74.9%)
Expected makes for those kicks
145.9
50+ yards
12 of 28
55+ yards
3 of 6
Under 40 yards
94 of 108
Walk-off field goals
3
Longest make
57 yards, Jonah Delange (UAB)
MAKE leader for the week
Robert Czeremcha (Florida International), 5-5, MAKE +1.30
Every field goal try of 50+ yards, College Week 6 Made MissedEach mark sits where the ball was held; the goalposts are on the right. Marks at the same distance are spread out so they don't overlap.
How we pick the Kicks of the Week
Every made field goal gets a Kick Score: how unlikely it was (one minus the make chance, times 10), plus 0.15 for each yard past 45, plus the moment: 8 for a walk-off winner, 4 for a go-ahead kick, 3 for a tying kick, 1 for any other fourth-quarter or overtime kick in a one-score game. The moment counts in full on kicks with a make chance of 60% or less and shrinks on chip shots, so a long bomb can outrank a short winner. Make chances come from the same distance and conditions model behind the MAKE Rankings. A kicker can appear at most twice. College numbers cover every game with an FBS team in it. Last week: College Kicks of the Week, Week 5: Tony Sterner Ends It for Louisiana.
Data: CollegeFootballData.com play-by-play; make chances, Kick Scores and MAKE by FKS.
43%Houston Texans, the highest share (174 of 404 points)
22%Buffalo Bills, the lowest share (105 of 481 points)
Kicker points are 3 per field goal and 1 per extra point, divided by each team’s points in the same games. A high share can mean a great kicker, or an offense that often stalls before the end zone, so read it next to MAKE.
Explore the Rankings
Field goals, kickoffs, punters and long snappers: leaders, every leaderboard and a full ranking table for each.
