PITTSBURGH — The same as ever, quarterback-driven discussions have framed this football season in Western Pennsylvania — Justin Fields or Russell Wilson, the emergence of Eli Holstein at Pitt and Penn State's Drew Allar taking an important next step.

Football fans around here also derive serious satisfaction from defense. But might it be time to give all of that the boot?

Seriously, Pittsburgh could legitimately boast two of the best kickers in the country when considering college and professional football, while Penn State's Ryan Barker went from a walk-on to hero by drilling four field goals to beat USC, including the game-winner in overtime.

It was all part of a wild weekend that reinforced our kicking competency, where Ben Sauls tied the Pitt record with a 58-yard bomb, Barker did his thing, and Chris Boswell punched four more through the uprights in Las Vegas.

While I'm not ready to put kicking on par with T.J. Watt's dominance, what Dani Dennis-Sutton and Abdul Carter have done at Penn State, or the emotional leadership shown by Pitt's Brandon George, the kickers have certainly given their teams a leg up on the competition.

If you watched the end of Penn State's victory in Pasadena, Calif., you likely saw coach James Franklin drop an F-bomb on national TV while hugging Barker in what was honestly an incredible, emotional moment.

"Ahhh, so proud of you," Franklin told Barker after pausing his walk-off interview. "Are you kidding me? Huh? [Bleeping] awesome."

After Penn State outlasted the Trojans, Franklin still couldn't help but gush over someone who has quite literally kicked down the door to earn a scholarship.

"Ryan Barker walks on at Penn State, the opportunity knocks, and he's ready," Franklin told reporters. "And to me, that's what our country is about. That's what football teaches.

"Ryan 'Cold as Ice' Barker. That's what I'm calling him."

Barker's boot was Penn State's first game-winning field goal since Aug. 4, 2014 against Central Florida, when Sam Ficken was also good from 36.

Meanwhile, the redshirt-freshman from Landenberg (Kennett High) became the first Nittany Lions kicker to make four field goals in a game since Tyler Davis at Rutgers in 2006.

After a kicking conundrum early on this season, Barker has steadied the position by going 6 for 6 on field goals and making all eight of his extra points.

Sauls has been doing that sort of stuff for years and delivered his blast against California at 10:04 of the second quarter, tying Alex Kessman's mark from 2020.

It put Sauls, who could easily become an All-American, in more rarified air as it pertains to his steadiness: He's made 12 consecutive field goals dating back to last season, tying another school record shared by Chris Ferencik (1995) and Conor Lee (2007).

Earlier this season, Sauls played a huge part in Pitt's comeback win at Cincinnati by kicking three field goals, including a 35-yarder with 17 seconds left to complete the Panthers' largest comeback in 53 years.

"He's got a great leg," Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said of Sauls, who last season made 20-of-24 field goals (83%) and all 47 of his extra points. "He's been automatic. There's no hesitation on that call."

Sauls' boot, amazingly, is not the longest kick in college football this season. That belongs to Temple's Maddux Trujillo, who converted from 64 yards. But Sauls has undoubtedly been a huge weapon, the same as Boswell on the NFL side.

With four more field goals Sunday, Boswell ran his season total to 16, second behind only Brandon Aubrey of the Cowboys.

Boswell's only miss came from 62 yards, while he's 6 for 7 on kicks 50 yards or longer.

Nobody has more 50-plus field goals than Boswell (27) since 2021. He's actually made 29 of his last 34 from that distance. When trimming the sample size to those with 40 or more attempts, Boswell's 81.8% success rate (36 of 44) on kicks of 50 or more yards is the best since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.

"I don't think anybody in that locker room is surprised by what he's able to do," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said.

"I've been around this guy a long time, man. He wants the long ball. He's built for it. That's displayed in my confidence in him."

The thing I respect most about Boswell is his steadiness, something he discussed during what he joked (OK, he was probably serious) would be his one and only interview this season following the Steelers' Week 1 win at Atlanta.

"Good, bad, indifferent, I have to move on to the next kick," Boswell said. "Just because I made the last one, it doesn't mean I'm making the next."

Fair point, Chris. Although you wouldn't know it by the success this group has experienced this season.

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