Florida State phenom Jameis Winston will lead a quarterback-heavy group of finalists into New York City this weekend for the Heisman Trophy festivities.
The redshirt freshman quarterback was one of six finalists announced for the prestigious honor Monday night, and if all goes as expected, he will be the second freshman winner, following Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel, who won it last year and is again a finalist.
Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch and Alabama signal-caller AJ McCarron were also invited, as was Auburn running back Tre Mason and Boston College tailback Andre Williams.
Winston is the heavy favorite to leave with hardware, after the Florida state attorney announced last week Winston would not be charged after an investigation into a sexual assault claim brought by a former Florida State student against the quarterback.
Winston topped the final HeismanPundit.com Heisman Straw Poll, considered the most trusted gauge of voter sentiment. Manziel topped the poll last year.
Winston picked up seven of 10 possible first-place votes and totaled a season-most 26 points from the weekly survey of Heisman voters. Lynch was second, followed by Manziel, Mason and McCarron.
Winston set freshman records this fall by throwing for 3,820 yards and 38 touchdowns in leading top-ranked and undefeated Florida State to the BCS national championship game.
His Seminoles will meet No. 2 Auburn in the title game on Jan. 6 in Pasadena, Calif., after the Tigers rode the brilliant running of Mason — he piled up 304 yards and four touchdowns — to a 59-42 victory over Missouri in the SEC championship game on Saturday.
Boston College’s Williams became the first 2,000-yard rusher since Connecticut’s Donal Brown in 2008, running for 2,102 yards and 17 touchdowns while averaging 6.4 yards per rush.
After a turbulent offseason, Manziel actually threw for more touchdowns this year than last — 32 — but rushed for 13 fewer touchdowns and 756 fewer yards as Texas A&M scuffled to an 8-4 mark and a berth in the Chick-fil-A Bowl against Duke.
Alabama’s McCarron, a two-time national champion, tossed 26 touchdowns and completed 68 percent of his passes for 2,676 yards, but the third loss of his career — the memorable Iron Bowl lost in the final seconds on Chris Davis’ more than 100-yard return of a missed field goal — cost the Crimson Tide a shot at the national championship game.
A game-breaking dual threat, Northern Illinois’ Lynch set a quarterback record by running for 1,881 yards and threw for 2,676 yards and 23 scores, but his candidacy likely took a hit when the Huskies (12-1) lost to Bowling Green in the MAC championship.