Courtesy Dylan Buell, Ball State Daily News

Junior running back Bernard Pierce is one of nine players in the country to be added to the Maxwell Award Watch List, which annually honors the College Player of the Year.

Pierce is currently leading the nation with 15 touchdowns and is the Owls’ and Mid-American Conference’s top scorer with 90 points after six games.  The Ardmore native has scored three or more touchdowns in four games this season and set a school record 41 career rushing touchdowns in the Owls’ last game Saturday against Ball State.

The 6-foot, 218-pound ball carrier picked up 121 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the Ball State game, recording more than 100 yards rushing for the fourth time this season and the 13th time in his career.  On the year, Pierce has rushed for 692 yards on 141 attempts.

“The goal is to get the guys who are you’re playmakers to touch the football as many times as you can,” said coach Steve Addazio in a press conference today.

Last year quarterback Cam Newton of Auburn was presented with the 74th Annual Maxwell Football Club’s honor. Newton led the No. 1 Tigers to a 22-19 win against No. 2 Oregon at the 2011 Bowl Series Championship National Championship game and to a 13-0 regular season record.

The voters for the Maxwell College Awards are NCAA Head College Football Coaches, members of the Maxwell Football Club and sportswriters and sportscasters from across the nation.