TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Indiana State sophomore Shakir Bell is one of three players nationally invited to The Walter Payton Award Announcement to be held at the Football Championship Subdivision Awards Banquet on January 6 in Frisco, Texas. The 25th Walter Payton Award is presented by The Sports Network and Fathead.com who sponsors the FCS' most prestigious award, which is given to the outstanding player in the division.

Joining Bell as the top 3 vote recipients are quarterbacks Chris Lum of Lehigh and Bo Levi Mitchell of Eastern Washington.

The national awards banquet will be held on the eve of the FCS Championship Game at the Embassy Suites/Frisco Convention Center. In addition to the Payton Award, the Eddie Robinson Award for FCS coach of the year will mark its silver anniversary and will be presented along with the Buck Buchanan Award, which is given to the FCS' outstanding defensive player and the inaugural Jerry Rice Award, which honors the FCS' freshman of the year. The Sports Network and Fathead.com sponsors those three honors as well.

Bell, a 5-foot-7, 185-pound sophomore, was the No. 1 rusher in the FCS during the regular season, gaining 1,670 yards and 14 touchdowns on 230 carries, for 151.8 yards per game on a scintillating 7.3 yards per carry. The Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year had four 200-yard games and missed a fifth one by one yard, helping Indiana State to a 6-5 record as it continued a remarkable turnaround as a program.

"I told my coach after my freshman season that I was going to make a difference on the team," Bell said. "Actually to be considered for the Walter Payton Award, it just helps me think that I worked a little bit harder."

Lum, a 6-2, 205 senior, finished the regular season ranked third in the FCS in passing yards (348.6) and second in touchdown passes (31). He completed 297 of 443 pass attempts (67 percent) for 3,739 yards, with 15 interceptions. The Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year can build on those totals as he has helped lead the league champion Mountain Hawks (10-1) to the FCS playoffs. They will play at Towson in the second round Saturday.

"It's a great feeling of getting this recognition on a national level. But I've always been one to try to stay grounded and be focused week to week and make sure I'm still a good example for the rest of the team," Lum said. "It's definitely not a one-man show. I have an amazing supporting cast and because of their hard efforts and my hard efforts we're having this success."

Mitchell, a 6-2, 210-pound senior, led the FCS in passing yards (4,009) and touchdown passes (33) in the regular season. As Eastern Washington (6-5) suffered through an injury-plagued season, the Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Year helped keep the Eagles competitive, completing 318-of-503 attempts (63.2 percent), with four 400-yard games. He had 13 interceptions.

A Texas native, Mitchell will return to Frisco, where last season he was the Most Outstanding Performer in Eastern Washington's FCS Championship Game victory.

"I just tried to go out and do what you're supposed do. If those (honors) come, they come," Mitchell said. "It became easy to me because of how good my teammates were."

A national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries selected all of the FCS awards. In the Walter Payton Award balloting, William & Mary senior running back Jonathan Grimes finished fourth and Elon junior wide receiver Aaron Mellette was fifth.