University of Maryland senior middle linebacker D'Qwell Jackson departs today for the ESPN/Home Depot College Football Awards Show, an event where he will learn whether he is the recipient of the 2005 Chuck Bednarik Award. The Bednarik Award is given to the player deemed the best defensive player in college football and Jackson is one of three finalists.

The award, which is given by the Maxwell Football Club, will be a part of the event which will air live on ESPN Thursday, December 8, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The show will be filmed at Walt Disney World's Atlantic Dance Hall and will feature some of the top players in college football, USC's Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, Louisville's Elvis Dumervil and Texas' Vince Young among them.

The three finalists for the 11th Chuck Bednarik Award are Jackson, A.J. Hawk (Ohio State), and Paul Posluszny (Penn State). Jackson follows in the footsteps of Maryland's first-ever Bednarik finalist, E.J. Henderson, the 2002 recipient of the prestigious award.

Jackson, the other student-athletes and each school's football SIDs will first attend a media function and then a private party at the ESPN Club on Disney's Boardwalk on Wednesday night. On Thursday, they have the day to themselves before going to dinner and then the awards show.

Click HERE for a complete list of all the awards to be presented that night as well as the finalists for each who will be in attendance.