Famous Jameis is now a Heisman Trophy winner.
Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston was named the 79th winner of college football’s most coveted award in a landslide victory.
Winston, the second redshirt freshman to ever win the award, earned 668 first-place votes. Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron was second with 79 first place votes. It was the fifth-largest margin of victory in the modern history of the award.
There was little doubt Winston would win the bronze statue. All season, he’s been the best player on the field and the only thing that could have derailed his Heisman year was a sexual assault investigation in which he was never charged.
Once the case was closed, all that was left were a few media events, some flashbulbs and the formal raising of the statue – even as 115 voters left Winston off their ballots entirely.
Winston gave an emotional acceptance speech in which he named multiple instances where he trusted the process – including trusting his named would be cleared. Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher cried.
Winston, who is 19, became the youngest player to win the Heisman. Oddly, Florida State’s last winner, quarterback Chris Weinke, was the oldest player to win the award.
It was almost an anticlimactic ending to a Heisman race that was seemingly over after Winston dazzled in his collegiate debut against Pittsburgh four months ago. Since then, he has passed for 3,820 yards, thrown for 38 touchdowns and amassed the country’s highest passing efficiency rating of 190.1.
Florida State is the nation’s top team and Winston will lead his Seminoles against Auburn for the national title on Jan. 6 – his 20th birthday.
Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch placed third in the voting, Boston College running back Andre Williams was fourth, Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel, who became the first freshman to win the award a year ago, was fifth and Auburn running back Tre Mason was sixth.
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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter!Follow @YahooDrSaturday