Florida State star quarterback and Heisman Trophy favorite Jameis Winston insists he knew he would be cleared of the sexual assault allegations that once put his and his top-ranked Seminoles futures in jeopardy.

"I knew I did nothing wrong, that's why I knew I could respect the process and I'd eventually be vindicated," Winston told the Boston Globe. "It was more about me being silent for my family, because I didn't want to put my family in no situation. I had so much respect for Mr. Jansen and everything going around that I knew I did nothing wrong and that everything would be OK."

Tallahassee lead prosecutor Willie Meggs recently announced the 19-year-old redshirt freshmen would not be criminally charged in the case where a fellow FSU student claimed he attacked her at an off-campus party on the night of Dec. 7, 2012.

Of the investigation, Patricia Carroll, the accuser's attorney, has since told The Globe "it appears to me to be a complete failure of an investigation of a rape case.'"

Speaking with reporters in New York on Friday, just hours before this year's Heisman winner will be unveiled, Winston told The Globe "the thing about the investigation is that I always respected the process. So by me, being a football player, knowing that my team needed me, and by them supporting me, I had to focus on the future. But I also had to focus on my family with everything that was going on with the investigation."

After the Heisman presentation, Winston is expected to quickly jet back to Florida where the unbeaten Seminoles are preparing to face Auburn in the national championship game on Jan. 6.