Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel became the first freshman to win US college football’s prized Heisman Trophy.
The first-year signal-caller broke the Southeast Conference record for total offense by passing for 3,419 yards and rushing for 1,181 more while totaling 43 touchdowns — 24 of them through the air.
“This is a moment that I’ve dreamed about since I was a little kid,” Manziel said as he accepted the award as college gridiron’s outstanding player.
“I wish my whole team could be up here tonight, especially my offensive linemen and offensive teammates.”
Manziel, who turned 20 on Thursday, edged Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o in the voting, garnering 2,029 total points compared to Te’o’s 1,706 points.
Te’o’s total was the most ever for a purely defensive player in the history of the prestigious award.
Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein came in third place with 854 points.
It was Texas A&M’s first season as part of the vaunted SEC, and Manziel led the Aggies to a trip to the Cotton Bowl post-season game.
Their 10-2 record included a stunning victory over the then-top-ranked University of Alabama on November 10.
Manziel became the first Aggie to win the Heisman since John David Crow in 1957.
Manziel wins coveted US college football award
