University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow yesterday won the bronze Heisman Trophy as college football's best player. But it was University of Hawai'i quarterback Colt Brennan who came away with the gold-plated memories.

"Just to be here was a wonderful experience," said Brennan, who finished third in the voting. The Heisman ceremony was held at the Nokia Theatre in Times Square.

Brennan received 54 No. 1 votes and earned 632 points. He was popular in the Far West (129 points) and Midwest (124), but struggled in the South (79).

Leading UH to a Bowl Championship Series berth, as well as late-season victories over Boise State and Washington, meant more than winning the award, Brennan said.

"There's no college football player who got the experience of playing in the two biggest games in their schools' history and winning them at the end of the year at home," he said. "That's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I don't know if any other (finalist) tonight experienced it.

"For me to experience it and know where it brought the program, that's awesome."

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.