Boston College RB Andre Williams Among Heisman Trophy Finalists
NEW YORK (AP) — Florida State's Jameis Winston, Northern Illinois' Jordan Lynch, Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel, Alabama's AJ McCarron, Auburn's Tre Mason and Boston College's Andre Williams were chosen Monday as the finalists for the Heisman Trophy.
Six finalists invited to ceremony in New York are the most since 1994. The winner will be announced Saturday.
Winston is the overwhelming favorite to win the award Saturday night in New York now that a sexual assault complaint against him in Tallahassee, Fla., has been closed without charges being filed. He could also become the second freshman to win the award.
Manziel was the first last year. The Aggies quarterback is trying to join another exclusive Heisman club by becoming the second player to win the award twice. Ohio State's Archie Griffin won the award in 1974 and '75.
Lynch led No. 24 Northern Illinois (12-1) to within a victory of a BCS bid and has set the major college record for yards rushing for a quarterback this season with 1,815. He also tweeted that he was a finalist about five minutes before the official announcement was made on ESPN by former winner Danny Wuerffel.
"NYC here I come!! Thanks to the coaches teammates and media relation couldn't of did it wt out them!" the record-setting senior posted.
McCarron completed 67 percent of his passes for 2,676 yards and 26 touchdowns for the fourth-ranked Crimson Tide (11-1).
Mason has made a late push into the Heisman conversation as No. 2 Auburn reached the BCS title game. He ran for 304 yards and four TDs in the SEC championship game, and is ninth in the country in rushing (124 ypg) with 22 touchdowns
Williams is the nation's leading rusher at 175 yards per game, the 16th player in FBS to run for 2,000 yards in a season and the first since 2008.
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