On December 14, 2013, Jameis Winston flashed his charismatic smile and accepted the 2013 Heisman Memorial Trophy Award. The redshirt freshman quarterback from Bessemer, Ala., became the 79th recipient of the award given to the nation’s most outstanding college football player. He is just the second freshman to nab the honor, joining 2012 winner Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M. At 19 years, 342 days old, Winston is now the youngest Heisman Trophy winner, too.
Winston has had one of the most impressive seasons ever by a quarterback in college football history, leading Florida State to a 14-0 record and a 34-31 victory over second ranked Auburn in the BCS National Championship Game. He set the ACC and FBS freshman record for touchdown passes (38) and the freshman mark for passing yards (3,820), while leading the nation in pass efficiency rating (190.06).
Winston is a consensus All-American, the Walter Camp National Player of the Year and the Davey O’Brien Quarterback of the Year in addition to becoming the first freshman to capture the ACC Player of the Year award in the 61-year history of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Winston opened the 2013 season and his career by completing the first 11 passes he threw in a nationally televised Labor Day evening game at Pittsburgh and never slowed down. He tallied seven 300-yard passing games and threw three touchdowns in a game eight times. A seven-time ACC Rookie of the Week, Winston’s signature performance came at No. 3 Clemson where he led FSU to a 51-14 victory over the Tigers by throwing for career-best 444 yards and three touchdowns and added a rushing score.
He vaulted FSU into the National Championship Game by throwing for 330 yards and accounting for four total touchdowns to earn ACC Championship Game MVP honors in a 45-7 win over Duke. In the BCS national championship game, Winston lead his Florida State Seminoles to a comeback, 34-31, victory over Auburn. It wasn’t just any comeback either. It was the biggest comeback in the history of the BCS title game.
During Winston’s record-breaking season, filled with blowouts and fourth quarters spent watching from the sideline, he never faced a situation in which he had to drive his team to a winning score. Winston was phenomenal under the bright lights and intense pressure. On the final drive,he went 6-of-7 passing for 77 yards and hit Kelvin Benjamin with a perfectly placed high ball with just 13 seconds left.
Winston is the first freshman quarterback ever to lead his team to 14 wins and a national championship.