Jameis Winston findings to be announced Thursday

With a matchup against Duke in the ACC championship game looming, No. 1 Florida State will learn the legal fate of its starting quarterback.

State Attorney Willie Meggs will announce the findings of the investigation of Heisman hopeful Jameis Winston Thursday in a 2 p.m. press conference. Winston, the Seminoles' standout redshirt freshman signal-caller, could be charged with sexual battery in the attempted rape of a fellow student, which allegedly took place Dec. 7, 2012.

If he is charged with a felony, Winston would be immediately suspended indefinitely per Florida State Athletic Department policy and would not be able to suit up for Saturday's conference championship game at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.

Winston was named ACC Player of the Year Wednesday after leading the conference with 3,490 passing yards, throwing for 35 touchdowns and just eight interceptions.

Winston's attorney alleged that the sex between the Seminole quarterback and his 19-year-old accuser, was consensual. The accuser did not identify Winston as her attacker until more than a month after the alleged incident, according to a timeline released by the Tallahassee Police Department.

The case has been the center of attention for the past three weeks following intense scrutiny from the alleged victim's family, which issued a statement accusing law enforcement officers of trying to dissuade them from progressing with the charges due to the Seminoles' national championship aspirations.

"We requested assistance from an attorney friend to interact with law enforcement on the victim's behalf," the statement said. "When the attorney contacted Detective [Scott] Angulo immediately after Winston was identified, Detective Angulo told the attorney that Tallahassee was a big football town and the victim needs to think long and hard before proceeding against him because she will be raked over the coals and her life will be made miserable."

Despite Winston's ongoing investigation, it has been business as usual at Florida State. Winston addressed the media Wednesday but answered football questions only.