Two of the marquee Mississippi State players on the offensive and defensive side of the ball found out they now represent the Bulldogs as semifinalist for a pair of awards as the Maxwell Football Club national selection committee announced Dak Prescott as a semifinalists for the 78th annual Maxwell Award and Benardrick McKinney as a semifinalist for the 20th annual Chuck Bednarik Award Monday.
Prescott joined 19 others as semifinalist for the Maxwell Award, an award given to the collegiate player of the year. Prescott, also a Heisman Trophy contender, currently ranks fifth in the nation in points responsible for per contest with 20.3. The junior has led Mississippi State to an 8-0 start, the first time the team has accomplished the feat since 1999.
McKinney is one of 20 players named as semifinalist for the Bednarik Award, which is given annually to the most outstanding defensive player of the year. Johnthan Banks was the last Bulldog to be a semifinalist for the award, an honor he earned in 2012. McKinney, who is also a semifinalist for the Butkus Award, leads Mississippi State with 50 tackles on the season, and he has recovered three fumbles.
Both semifinalist lists will be culled to three players on November 24, and the winners of the awards will be announced on the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN on December 11.