Pitt Freshman Kicker Expected Out vs. Notre Dame

PITTSBURGH — Pitt Panthers true freshman kicker Trey Butkowski is expected to miss this week's top 25 matchup against No. 9 Notre Dame due to an illness, CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz reported.

Butkowski has made 19-of-21 field goal attempts, with a long of 47 yards, and 40-of-41 PATs. The former walk-on also broke former Pitt kicker Ben Sauls' program record for most consecutive field goal makes in just his eighth career game.

Kickoff specialist Cam Carpenter will likely be the place kicker if Butkowski cannot play. Carpenter, a redshirt sophomore, has never attempted a field goal and has made one PAT in his collegiate career.

Pitt standout kicker Trey Butkowski is expected to miss tomorrow’s game against No. 9 Notre Dame due to an illness, sources tell @CBSSports.

Is 19 of 21 on field goals this season. pic.twitter.com/3R9j92Pq2r
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) November 14, 2025

Butkowski's Impressive Numbers

Butkowksi is tied for second with UConn kicker Chris Freeman for the most points scored in the entire country this season with 97, and is tied for first with Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King for most points per game, with 10.8.

Butkowksi is also tied for 19th in the country in field goal percentage, at 90.5%, tied for sixth with 21 attempts and tied for second with 21 conversions. With that percentage, Butkowski is close to holding the Pitt record for best field goal percentage in a season. The current record is 92.3%, held by Chris Ferenicik when he went 12-for-13 on field goal tries in 1995.

Butkowski's Impact

Butkowski joined the Panthers as the walk-on third-string kicker over the summer, but very quickly made a name for himself when he was named the starter in August, causing transfer kicker James London to depart from the program.

Aug 30, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers place kicker Trey Butkowski (93) kicks a field goal from the hold of punter Caleb Junko (91) against the Duquesne Dukes during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Butkowski didn't start kicking until his sophomore year of high school, after playing soccer for 13 years. He then hired the same kicking coach as Sauls', and the two quickly connected. Butkowski said that Suals played a big role in his joining Pitt and that he eventually hopes to break Sauls' 58-yard record field goal.

None of this is that surprising, especially when Butkowski has shown nothing but the utmost confidence in himself.

"I've rep'd so many kicks in practice, and I've got so many kicks up with this operation, that it's kind of hard not to feel great about it," Butkowski said on Sept. 30. "When you see a perfect snap every day, see a perfect hold every day, then I just know it comes down to me, and I'm confident in myself and my ability."

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