College Football Awards: AP All-American Football Team Led By Cam Newton, LaMichael James

While the Heisman Trophy won’t be taken home by Cam Newton until Saturday night, the college football awards season is already well under way, with its penultimate showcase evening taking place Thursday night, in the form of The Home Depot College Football Awards Show at Disney World.

It’s a chance for the country’s best college football players to earn recognition for their season’s accomplishments, stroll a red carpet (really) and then watch Cam “Cameron” Newton leave with a suitcase full of trophies.

The Maxwell aims to honor the nation’s best player, and Newton fits the description better than any other college football player has in decades. Thirteenth in the nation in rushing yards, second in rushing touchdowns, first in yards per passing attempt and passer rating, and tenth in passing touchdowns, Newton was the engine and conductor of Auburn’s title run.

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Tolzien led the Badgers to their first Rose Bowl bid in over a decade and a share of the Big Ten title, leading the nation in completion percentage. He threw for only 2,300 yards, but that’s about all the Badgers needed from him due to their mighty running game.

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Along with Georgia’s David Pollack, who’s presenting tonight’s award, Peterson is the only SEC defender to receive this honor. He’s also the first defensive back to be honored since Michigan’s Charles Woodson. In addition to being a fine cornerback that quarterbacks everywhere strive to throw away from whenever humanly possible, Peterson is the nation’s seventh-ranked kickoff returner, and the highest-ranked defender at the position. As an actual defender, he’s recorded seven interceptions in 2010. You’ll be able to see him on the field one more time this season, playing Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl.

The Tigers finished seventh in the nation in yards per game and sixth in points. In 2008, the year before Malzahn came aboard with Gene Chizik, they finished 104th in yards and 111th in scoring. So yeah, you could say he deserves this award.

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The complete list of honorees:

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I’m told the Maxwell Award will actually be given out tonight, and that Newton will probably win that one too. That will be the end of it though.

Also, the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night. That may be one of the last awards he wins in this calendar year.

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Upon winning the award, Chizik had this to say:

This is the second postseason award thus far for the Tigers. On Wednesday, it was announced that defensive lineman Nick Fairley won the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

The Butkus Award, given to the country’s best collegiate linebacker, was won by Texas A&M’s senior Von Miller on Tuesday. Boston College’s Luke Kuechly finished second. Miller, captain of the 9-3 Aggies, finished the regular season with 59 tackles, 34 solo, forced three fumbles and recovered two.

Miller earned 75 points and 19 first place votes. B.C.‘s Kuechly finished second with 40 points and five first place votes, followed by Akeem Ayers of UCLA, Bruce Carter of North Carolina and Justin Houston of Georgia. The award is voted on by a panel of 51 coaches, recruiters, scouts and journalists coordinated by Pro Football Weekly.

Fairley is also a finalist for the Bednarik Award, which goes to the nation’s top defender. Fairley accepted the award alongside his position coach Tracy Rocker, won also the award in 1988.

This isn’t the first, or last, postseason award for Auburn this season. Their coach, Gene Chizik, won the Home Depot trophy for coach of the year, and QB Cam Newton is the clear favorite to win the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night.

For more on Fairley’s trophy win and more Auburn updates, keep an eye on Track Em Tigers.

On Thursday, the majority of college football’s 2010 awards will be presented. ESPN will broadcast the award presentations beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern time. Some of the awards to be doled out Thursday night include the Chuck Bednarik, Fred Biletnikoff, and Lou Groza awards.

One exception is the Heisman Trophy, which will be presented on Saturday, December 11. Here’s a run-down of the winners of the awards already announced, as well as the awards that have yet to be presented.