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Temple kicker drills 64-yard field goal for second-longest in modern FBS history

Vaseline September 22, 2024

Kickers are ridiculously good these days, even at the college level.

With NFL kickers continuing to put on a show by performing almost automatically regardless of distance, it’s clear that the future of kicking is in even better hands.

Temple kicker Maddux Trujillo made history on Saturday by hitting a 64-yard field goal with room to spare.

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Temple Owls banners cover the end zone seats at Lincoln Financial Field before a game against the Villanova Wildcats. (Bill Streicher/USA Today Sports)

Trujillo’s field goal was the eighth-longest in NCAA history, but the second-longest in modern FBS history. Yahoo Sports notes that kickers were allowed to use a tee until 1989. The longest kick made was 69 yards in 1976.

Former NFL kicker Martin Gramatica still holds the record, a feat he accomplished in 1998 with Kansas State.

Trujillo’s kick is the longest successful field goal since 2008 and was the longest field goal in Lincoln Financial Field history, beating Jake Elliott’s 61-yard kick in 2017 as the Philadelphia Eagles beat the New York Giants as time ran out.

The field goal turned the game around, cutting the lead between the Owls and Utah State to 21-17 at halftime.

A Temple Owls cone prior to a game against Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Lincoln Financial Field on September 17, 2022 in Philadelphia. (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

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Temple scored 21 unanswered points in the second half to take a 38-21 lead.

Utah State attempted a comeback with a touchdown and two-point conversion late in the fourth period, but Temple responded with a touchdown about a minute later to ensure it wouldn’t squander its comeback. It ended up being a 49-25 victory for Temple, which earned its first win of the season.