New York, NY (Sports Network) - Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o, Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel and Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein were named the three finalists for the 2012 Heisman Trophy.
The winner of college football's top individual award will be announced Saturday night during a ceremony in New York City.
Te'o is trying to become the second defensive player to win the Heisman after Michigan's Charles Woodson was honored in 1997. Woodson also returned punts that year, but he helped lead the Wolverines to an undefeated regular season, something Notre Dame accomplished under the leadership of Te'o.
The senior linebacker from Hawaii recorded seven interceptions and 103 tackles this year while also capturing the Butkus Award and Nagurski Award.
Notre Dame, which will battle Alabama in the BCS title game on Jan. 7, has had seven Heisman Trophy winners, but none since Tim Brown in 1987.
Manziel is also trying to make history as the first freshman to win the award. The redshirt frosh broke the SEC record for total offense by passing for 3,419 yards and rushing for 1,181 more while totaling 43 touchdowns -- 24 through the air.
In Texas A&M's first season in the vaunted SEC, Manziel led the Aggies to a trip to the Cotton Bowl behind a 10-2 record, which included a win over then- No. 1 Alabama on Nov. 10.
"I'm overwhelmed by this tremendous honor of representing Texas A&M, the 12th Man and all my teammates in New York," Manziel said. "This is a dream come true for me, and I know it's a credit to all my coaches and teammates. I definitely wouldn't be a Heisman finalist without my teammates and coaches."
The only Texas A&M player to win the Heisman was John David Crow back in 1957.
Klein was named the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award winner on Monday after throwing for 2,490 yards and 15 touchdowns, while totaling 980 yards with 22 scores on the ground. The Wildcats won the Big 12 title and earned a berth in the Fiesta Bowl opposite Oregon following an 11-1 regular season.
Kansas State has never had a Heisman Trophy winner.
Last season, Baylor's Robert Griffin III edged out Stanford's Andrew Luck for the award.
