USC kicker Ryon Sayeri added to Lou Groza Award watch list

USC kicked off its watch-list season with a new national honor, as placekicker Ryon Sayeri was named to the Lou Groza Award watch list. The Lou Groza Award is presented annually to the top placekicker in college football, and being placed on the preseason watch list is a sign that voters and award organizers see a kicker with a realistic path toward the position’s postseason hardware.

Sayeri’s addition continues a trend for USC’s top skill players being recognized on multiple award tracks. The same day he was included for kicking, the Trojans also had quarterback Jayden Maiava and running back Waymond Jordan named to the Maxwell Award watch list, another major honor that focuses on a player’s all-around impact on offense. Together, those placements point to a USC identity that is expected to feature production from both the quarterback and the running game, while also leaning on consistent kicking in close games.

For a team like USC, the Lou Groza watch list matters in practical terms even beyond the honor itself. Placekickers are often the most reliable scoring component in the final minutes, and award lists tend to spotlight the players coaches count on for field goals and pressure relief when drives stall. A kicker recognized before the season can become a benchmark for how special teams plans are built, from practice priorities to game-day decision-making.

The Lou Groza Award watch list is typically assembled ahead of the season to track kickers through their body of work over the year. That framework means early attention is about potential and past performance, but the watch-list status does not guarantee end-of-season momentum. It also means the Trojans will be watching more than one category, including whether the kicking role stays stable and whether Sayeri’s performance holds up as opponents adjust.

USC’s multiple watch-list entries also raise the visibility of the unit’s supporting cast, because national award lists can influence how opponents scout and how media narratives develop. When a quarterback and running back are on the Maxwell list, the offense’s centerpiece roles are already defined. When the kicker is on the Lou Groza list, special teams can become part of the same storyline, especially in games that hinge on field position, third-down efficiency, and red-zone conversion rates.

What to watch next is how the watch-list placements translate into September performance. For Sayeri, the key question will be whether his kicking production and reliability match the national expectations that come with Lou Groza consideration. For Maiava and Jordan, the watch-list task is similar, but on a different plane: sustaining the kind of comprehensive offensive output that the Maxwell Award is designed to reward.

Because this story is based on a preseason watch-list announcement, the current picture is about recognition rather than verified season results. The watch lists will be refined by actual game performance over the coming months, and award trajectories often change quickly once the season begins.