The Maxwell Award and Bednarik Award watch lists for the 2011 NCAA football season have been announced by the Maxwell Football Club and they work as a perfect metaphor for everything fans love and hate about college football.
Both lists are mostly loaded with players from traditional powers and BCS schools and, ultimately, the watch list is completely arbitrary and voted on by people who probably don't watch every game or even every player.
The Maxwell Award is given annually to the nation's most outstanding collegiate fooball player by the Maxwell Football Club. Last season the award went to Auburn quarterback Cam Newton. Notable players on the 2011 list include USC's Matt Barkley, Notre Dame's Michael Floyd, Houston's Case Keenum and Stanford's Andrew Luck. You can view the full list here.
The Bednarik Award is the College Defensive Player of the Year Award named in honor of Chuck Bednarik, College and Pro Football Hall of Famer. Last year's winner was Patrick Peterson of LSU. Notable names on the 2011 list include Florida State Brandon Jenkins, Virginia Tech's Bruce Taylor and Alabama's Courtney Upshaw. See the full list here.