The race for the top player, defensive player, and coach in FCS college football took a final step on Monday as ballots for the 2006 Walter Payton Award, Buck Buchanan Award, and Eddie Robinson Award were mailed to all voters.  Four Gateway players and three Gateway coaches are on the lists.

The ballots, which were sent to media and FCS sports information directors selected for the voting process, will be due via fax by Wednesday, November 22nd. The top three finalists (in terms of votes received) for the Walter Payton Award will be invited to attend the presentation of the Awards, with the winner of that Award not announced until the event. The 20th Annual FCS College Football Awards will be held Dec. 14th in Chattanooga, TN, on the eve of the Division I Football Championship title game.

Three revisions have been made to the most recent "Payton Watch" list, and two to the "Buchanan Battle" list. Central Connecticut State running back Justise Hairston, Illinois State running back Pierre Rembert and James Madison quarterback Justin Rascati are on the Payton list, with Colgate linebacker Mike Gallihugh and Maine defensive end Matt King making the Buchanan list.

Following are the 32 players and 16 coaches appearing on the 2006 Walter Payton, Buck Buchanan, and Eddie Robinson Award ballots. Additional information on each player, as well as history and facts about each of the FCS awards, is available at www.sportsnetwork.com.

2006 Walter Payton Award Finalists
David Ball, WR, New Hampshire
Steve Baylark, RB, Massachusetts
Clifton Dawson, RB, Harvard
Jerome Felton, FB, Furman
*Justise Hairston, RB, Central Connecticut State
Josh Johnson, QB, San Diego
Marcus Mason, RB, Youngstown State
Jason Murrietta, QB, Northern Arizona
*Justin Rascati, QB, James Madison
*Pierre Rembert, RB, Illinois State
Kevin Richardson, RB, Appalachian State
Ricky Santos, QB, New Hampshire
D.D. Terry, RB, Sam Houston State
Tyler Thigpen, QB, Coastal Carolina
Steve Walker, QB, North Dakota State
Arkee Whitlock, RB, Southern Illinois

2006 Buck Buchanan Award Finalists
Kroy Biermann, DE, Montana
Zak DeOssie, LB, Brown
Justin Durant, LB, Hampton
*Mike Gallihugh, LB, Colgate
Adam Hayward, LB, Portland State
James Ihedigbo, S, Massachusetts
Markeseo Jackson, LB, Tennessee-Martin
Edgar Jones, DE, Southeast Missouri State
Akeem Jordan, LB, James Madison
*Matt King, DE, Maine
Marques Murrell, DE, Appalachian State
Chad Nkang, LB, Elon
Kyle Shotwell, LB, Cal Poly
Cameron Siskowic, LB, Illinois State
Bryan Smith, DE, McNeese State
Jeremy Wiggins, S, Appalachian State

2006 Eddie Robinson Award Finalists
David Bennett, Coastal Carolina
Craig Bohl, North Dakota State
Don Brown, Massachusetts
Maurice Forte, Arkansas Pine-Bluff
Jim Harbaugh, San Diego
Bobby Hauck, Montana
Jon Heacock, Youngstown State
Roger Hughes, Princeton
Denver Johnson, Illinois State
Jerry Kill, Southern Illinois
Mike Kramer, Montana State
Jerry Moore, Appalachian State
Jack Siedlecki, Yale
Jason Simpson, UT-Martin
Joe Taylor, Hampton
Matt Viator, McNeese State

* = added to list since last revision on Nov. 1