LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. » From Notre Dame’s unbeaten regular season to college football’s biggest awards, Manti Te’o just keeps winning.

Now the linebacker needs two more victories to cap an unforgettable senior season.

Te’o was honored three times at the 22nd Home Depot College Football Awards show Thursday night at Disney World, including the Maxwell Award for the nation’s most outstanding player.

Te’o has now won six major awards since the end of Notre Dame’s regular season, also taking home the Bednarik Award for top defensive player and Walter Camp Foundation player of the year award on Thursday. He became the first defensive player to win the Maxwell Award since 1980, ending a string of nine straight quarterbacks.

Next up is the Heisman Trophy ceremony on Saturday night, with Te’o and Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel considered the favorites. Then Te’o will try to help the Fighting Irish dethrone defending champion Alabama in the BCS national championship game.

"I’m at a loss for words," he said of winning the Maxwell. "The last time I ever dreamt of winning that award was on a video game. So to win it is a mind-blowing experience."

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly, who was presented with the Coach of the Year award after leading the Irish to their first 12-0 regular season since 1988, said Te’o is an example of the family culture he’s tried to build in his three seasons in South Bend.

"Everybody knows you don’t do it with one guy," Kelly said. "Collectively, everybody just bought in. … We still got one (game) left. We want to finish it off the right way."

While Te’o and Notre Dame certainly had a big night, so too did Texas A&M. Manziel won the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award and junior offensive lineman Luke Joeckel took home the Outland Trophy for the nation’s best interior lineman.

Other players honored were Southern California’s Marqise Lee (Biletnikoff Award for top receiver), Tulane’s Cairo Santos (Lou Groza Award for top kicker), Louisiana Tech’s Ryan Allen (Ray Guy Award for top punter), Mississippi State’s Johnthan Banks (Jim Thorpe Award for top defensive back), and Wisconsin’s Montee Ball (Doak Walker Award for top running back).