Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston reportedly called it a “blessing” when he learned that he had become the youngest player to win the Heisman Trophy on Saturday.
"It's a blessing,” he told an audience during the presentation in New York, CNN reports. “I don't even know what's going on right now, honestly. I'm just so happy. I'm overwhelmed."
Indeed it was a blessing. His nomination was clouded by lingering questions about a year-old rape allegation, which was dismissed this month by prosecutors. But his accuser's lawyer held a news conference the day before the Heisman announcement, charging that prosecutors had dropped the ball.
Asked about the case on Friday, Winston told reporters: "I knew I did nothing wrong." His lawyer has maintained that sex with the woman was consensual.
Nineteen-year-old Winston is the youngest player to win the Heisman, and the third FSU player, behind Charlie Ward and Chris Winke, to earn the honor, CNN says. He recorded 3,820 passing yards and 38 passing touchdowns this year. He is only the second redshirt freshman to win the Heisman. Last year, Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel was the first freshman winner.
Winston led the FSU Seminoles to a 13-0 regular season, setting them up to take on the Auburn University Tigers in the BCS National Championship on Jan. 6—Winston’s 20th birthday.
He reportedly received 686 first-place votes according to Heisman trustees, finishing in front of Manziel, Auburn's Tre Mason, University of Alabama's A.J. McCarron, Northern Illinois University's Jordan Lynch and Boston College's Andre Williams.
Read more at CNN.