[Whitfield:] Jameis Winston is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner. And tonight he is leading his Florida State football team against Georgia Tech in the ACC championship game, but this week he is also in the spotlight for an accusation that he sexually assaulted a woman two years ago. Florida State University and authorities in Tallahassee have been criticized heavily for how they have handled this case. CNN's Andy Scholes is live for us at the ACC Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina. Also with me, Matt Baker, a sports reporter with the "Tampa Bay Times." Good to see both of you guys. So, Andy, let's begin with you. Bring us up to date on this conduct case involving Winston.
[Andy Scholes, Cnn Sports:] Well, the hearing wrapped up on Wednesday. It was a two-day hearing, where Winston, his accuser, and other witnesses were called to testify before former Florida State Florida Supreme Court Justice Major Harding. Winston gave his account of what he said happened the night of the alleged assault in a statement. It was a very graphic statement. I'm going to read part of it to you right now. He said, "I did not create a hostile, intimidating, or offensive environment. In the short period of time that we were together the accuser had the capacity to consent to having sex with me and she repeatedly did so by her conduct and her verbal expressions." He went on to say, "Rape is a vicious crime. The only thing as vicious as rape is falsely accusing someone of rape." Now, Fred, when we find when we get a resolution to this hearing, it's still unknown, the accuser's attorney, John Cloon, said he does hope to hear from the former Florida Supreme Court justice in about two to three weeks. So hopefully we'll have it by then. Even if they do end up expelling Jameis Winston from the university, he can appeal, meaning he will get to remain on the field for the rest of Florida State's season.
[Whitfield:] OK. And then, Matt, you cover Florida State and you've spent a lot of time in Tallahassee. What has been the reaction of FSU fans to Jameis Winston and the accusations that have been lodged against him. Overall what you know, what's been happening in that town?
[Matt Baker, Sports Writer, Tampa Bay Times:] It's really ebb and flowed in the 13 months since this first became public. I can tell you as a guy who was the first one to look into it, I got about 120 prank calls because my name was on the first open records request. Since then, it kind of died down a little bit. And then the tide started to turn a little bit in the spring, when he admitted to stealing crab legs from Publix. At that time, they were kind of you know, some people started saying, well, what about his judgment as you're learning. And again, before the Clemson game, when he made some inappropriate remarks at the student union there, again, there were some more people chime in, like, is he ever going to learn? But in the last couple of weeks as the hearing approach, with everything that's gone here and with football as well, FSU is still undefeated, and fell down all the way to four in the playoff rankings and potentially in jeopardy of not being in the final four, the FSU fans have really kind of circled the wagons here lately.
[Whitfield:] And then with his character, with his judgment all kind of on the line or in question, Andy, how might this impact his aspirations to go pro?
[Scholes:] Well, you know, Fred, five or six years ago, you know, if you could play football and you were great in college, you were going to get your shot in the NFL, you are going to be a high draft pick. What we've seen happen with Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, you know, teams they're really going to start looking into players that have, you know, off-the-field issues, red flags coming into the draft. That being said, Jameis Winston, he's won a Heisman Trophy. He's one of the best college quarterback that we've had in quite a long time. So he's going to get a shot in the NFL. Will it be a high first round pick? I sure don't think so. I think he's going to fall.
[Baker:] I think it's an issue, it's certainly a concern, especially like you said, regarding Ray Rice and Greg Hardy and the NFL, but he's 25-0 as a starter. All that matters in the NFL is whether he can win. And you can't discount 25-0 heading into the game tonight.
[Whitfield:] All right. Matt Baker, Andy Scholes, thanks to both of you, gentlemen, appreciate it. There from Charlotte. All right, hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing to higher ground as a typhoon slams into the Philippines. Winds are not the only danger. A live update, next.