By the
CNN Wire Staff
Updated 10:01 PM EST, Sat December 10, 2011
In this handout provided by the Heisman Trophy Trust, Robert Griffin III of the Baylor Bears poses with the trophy.
New York (CNN)
Baylor University quarterback Robert Griffin III, who has amassed nearly 4,000 passing yards this season, won the 2011 Heisman Trophy on Saturday.
Griffin bested a field of finalists that included Wisconsin running back Montee Ball, Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, Louisiana State cornerback Tyrann Mathieu and Alabama running back Trent Richardson.
Griffin, a junior, has passed for 3,998 yards this year and accounted for 45 touchdowns (36 passing, nine rushing). He has completed 267 of 369 passing attempts.
Griffin is the first Baylor player to receive the honor for the most outstanding player in college football. He received 405 first-place votes and 1,687 total points.
Luck finished second with 1,407 points, followed by Richardson with 978. Ball garnered 348 points and Mathieu had 327.
Raised by two U.S. Army sergeants, Griffin had a secret weapon growing up. "Being a military kid, discipline is huge," he said during the award program on ESPN.
The award is voted on by hundreds of media members and past winners. Griffin, the 32nd quarterback to receive the award, will be honored at a December 12 dinner.
Baylor, 9-3, will play the University of Washington at the Valero Alamo Bowl in San Antonio on December 29.
The 2010 Heisman went to Auburn quarterback Cam Newton, who now plays for the NFL's Carolina Panthers.