A former standout college running back admitted to having sex with a 12-year-old girl, telling investigators that the sexual encounter was her idea, police said.

Justin Crawford, 23, was spotted by his wife standing over the young girl while he had an erection at about 5 a.m. Saturday in the living room of the couple’s Columbus home, the Ledger-Enquirer reports.

Crawford’s wife then went back to bed, but could not stop thinking about what she saw, a police detective testified Monday in a Columbus courtroom during Crawford’s preliminary hearing.

After the alleged incident, the girl told her mother she was asleep in Crawford’s living room when the former star running back at West Virginia University entered the room and told her to perform oral sex on him before they had sex, Columbus Police Detective Mark Scruggs testified.

A sexual assault kit was later administered to the girl to preserve any DNA evidence, Scruggs said.

Crawford denied having any sexual contact with the girl when initially questioned by detectives, but he later admitted to the encounter, saying the sexual contact was the girl’s idea, according to Scruggs’ testimony.

A judge found probable cause to send Crawford’s case to Muscogee Superior Court and ordered him held without bond, according to the newspaper.

Crawford, who was listed as 6 feet, 200 pounds during his playing days, is now facing felony charges of incest, sodomy and enticing a child for indecent purpose, jail records show.

Crawford, a native of Columbus, was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year in his senior season at West Virginia, where he transferred from Northwest Mississippi College after his sophomore season, during which he was named the National Junior College Athletic Association’s Offensive Player of the Year.

While at West Virginia, Crawford racked up more than 2,200 yards with 11 touchdowns in two seasons. In May, he signed with the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent but was cut by the team in September, according to the team’s website.