Former NC State place kicker Stephen Hauschka kicked the game winning field goal for Buffalo yesterday as the final seconds of regulation ticked off the clock.
Hauschka’s 46-yard field goal gave the Bills a 13-12 victory over the Titans.
2018 marks Hauschka’s 2nd season in Buffalo (3-year $8.85 million contract), and his 11th year in the NFL after spending one year at NC State.
Hauschka’s story is really a crazy one.
He was a soccer player at Middlebury College, but was cut from the varsity team during his freshman season, and was demoted to junior varsity. Heading into his sophomore season, instead of continuing on the JV squad, he tried out for the football team, and earned a spot. In three seasons at Middlebury, he earned All-NESCAC honors twice. Instead of following his plans to go to dental school, Hauschka came to NC State as a Graduate Senior, with one year of eligibility remaining.
He made 16 field goals for NC State in 2007, which is the 8th most in a single season by a Wolfpack place kicker. He also connected on 10 straight, which is the fourth longest streak in school history.
No one could have projected that Hauschka would end up being a place kicker in the NFL for the past 11 seasons, even himself.
In an amazing story, Hauschka’s 87.209% field goal percentage, is the 5th best percentage in NFL history.
Yesterday’s game winner was the 6th of Haushka’s career.