Photo: USA Today Sports
Six finalists for the 2013 Heisman Trophy were announced Monday evening. Crystal Ball Run will be taking a look at each finalist.
| AJ McCarron | Jordan Lynch | Johnny Manziel | Tre Mason | Andre Williams | Jameis Winston |
Jameis Winston, Florida State quarterback
3,820 passing yards, 38 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 190.06 passer rating, 4 rushing touchdowns
Heisman Moment: Completed 22 of 34 pass attempts for 444 yards and three touchdowns in a rout of No. 3 Clemson on the road.
This year's Heisman race has just one possible winner, and it is Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston. Winston arrived on the college football scene with a glorious debut on the road in primetime at Pittsburgh back in week one, completing an astounding 25 of 27 pass attempts for 356 yards and four touchdowns. With that debut any concerns about the quarterback situation at Florida State this season were quickly put to ease, but few would have predicted the kind of success Winston would put up on a weekly basis so soon.
Little did we really comprehend at the time just how calm, cool and collected Winston would be this season. Winston answered the call in his next road game at Boston College. The Eagles had built a stunning lead in the first half, but Winston led a rally highlighted by a deep pass at the end of the first half that some would refer to as a Hail Mary, but this was just a terrific throw in to one-on-one coverage down the field. The next week Winston again put on a show against a Maryland team that enjoyed a brief week in the top 25. But the moment Winston really threw his name in to the Heisman hunt came two weeks later in a colossal ACC match-up between top five Clemson and Florida State. Winston and Florida State rolled Clemson, taking firm control of the top spot in the ACC. Nobody would challenge Winston and the Seminoles the rest of the way.
It would be unfair not to mention to more recent legal cloud looming above Winston. Initially tied to an alleged sexual assault, Winston continued to play for Florida State as a state investigation gathered evidence to determine whether or not Florida State's quarterback should be charged with any crime. That decision eventually came in the days leading up to the ACC Championship Game against Duke, and it was one that would clear Winston of any wrongdoing at this time. With Winston in the clear, legally, his pursuit of the Heisman Trophy moved forward to the final test.
Nobody knows for sure just how the voters will view Winston's overall profile, but when the Heisman Trophy winner is announced Saturday night in New York it would be a total shock if Winston's name is not called to the podium.
Kevin McGuire is the managing editor of Crystal Ball Run. Follow McGuire on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.
Follow Crystal Ball Run on Twitter, Facebook and Google+. Subscribe to our newsletter, podcast and YouTube channel.
