Cam Newton Going Pro

National Champion/ Heisman Winner/ Controversial Auburn QB Cam Newton has decided to go pro. Newton has good size at 6'6 250 and has a decent arm, and good mobility, but like all athletic QBs there are a lot of question marks.

On the field, Newton rushed for 1,473 yards and 20 touchdowns while passing for 2,854 yards and 30 TDs. He set Auburn season records for both rushing and passing TDs and total offense and an SEC mark for yards on the ground by a quarterback.

I like Cam Newton, he has a good arm and everything, however, I don't know if the intangebles are there. When he was on the biggest stage in college football he didn't wow me in the least. As a matter of fact, he played alright. A lot of people (Kiper/ McShay) say he's a sure thing 1st rounder, but I think he's a first rounder built on hype.

But hey, if Tebow can go in the first round why can't Cam?

Auburn 22, Oregon 19

If you thought this game (which had an over/under of 75) would feature 41 total points, a game winning field goal, 2 goal line stops, and the same number of turnovers as touchdowns, you should consider quitting your day job and betting sports for a living. This game wasn't the shootout predicted by the experts, but it was just as exciting.

And the big difference was Auburn's defense. Their line was able to come up with some huge plays, like a safety, like a goal-line stand, like pressure that resulted in an interception, and so on.

I think Auburn's rigorous SEC schedule prepared them for such a tight contest. In that league, especially in their division, you have to be able to win tough games against good opponents. Repeatedly.

Oregon averaged a 30.9 point margin of victory this season. Auburn averaged an 18.2 margin, which was inflated by a few blowout wins. The Tigers played 5 games decided by 7 points or less. Oregon played in 1 such game. That might make Oregon sound better, but in hindsight, it makes Auburn seem more capable of winning close games. At the very least, they came in with more experience in them.

It's not that Oregon choked in this close game, just that Auburn didn't play with anxiety in that last drive.

This is the 5th straight BCS title for the SEC, and their 7th overall. Don't forget, Auburn went 13-0 in 2004 and were excluded from the BCS title game, so it's almost like #8 for the SEC.

It was a great end to another interesting and thrilling season. Auburn's schedule was full of instant classics, and they deserve their Championship. There were a few loose ends, with an undefeated TCU team floating around. "Power conferences" like the Big East and ACC downright sucked this season. And radical realignment of all conferences seems to be on the horizon.

Ultimately, I'm happy that the stupid, jersey changing team from Eugene has one set of apparel they'll probably never don again.

This guy must feel like an idiot.



Although he's probably felt like an idiot before.

-The Commodore

National Championship Preview

Tonight in Glendale, Arizona, the NCAA crowns its champion. The contenders are, Auburn (13-0) representing the SEC, and Oregon (12-0) out of the PAC-10 conference.

There is little doubt that this game will be a shootout. Auburn’s staggering 43 points per game is good for 4th in the FBS. On the other side, Oregon boasts the nations highest scoring team averaging a shade less than 50 points per game (49.3). The catalyst offensively for both teams is their ground game. Auburn averaged 287 yards on the ground this year, however, that number pales in comparison to Oregon’s number 1 rushing attack. The Ducks averaged an overwhelming 303 rushing yards during the regular season.

Heisman winner, Cam Newton, leads Auburn in both rushing and passing and tallied nearly 4,000 yards of total offense this year. The junior quarterback drew much attention when speculation arose with regards to his transfer from Florida. By now most people have heard the story about his father being involved in a possible “cash for cam” situation, allegedly Cam Newton Sr. wanted $200,000 from potential universities for his son’s talents. However, nothing could be directly tied back to the younger Newton and he was able to complete his season without facing any penalty from the NCAA.

The Auburn offense is run through Newton. The vast majority of Auburn’s play calls involve Newton in the shotgun with a running back at his side. Once the ball is snapped he has the choice of handing the ball off to the back, dropping back and passing, or keeping the ball and using his legs to pick up yards. This style of offense calls for Newton to have nearly as many rushing attempts (242) as it does passing attempts (246). His 49 touchdowns this year (28 passing, 20 rushing, 1 receiving) left Heisman voters with a relatively easy decision to make. Newton ended his regular season on a roll, defeating conference rivals, Alabama and South Carolina. In those two games, he tallied 663 total yards scored 9 touchdowns and did not commit a turnover.

While Cam Newton has generated the most buzz going into the National Championship game, do not be surprised to see his counter part steal the show. Darron Thomas, Oregon’s sophomore quarterback, had a spectacular regular season tallying over 3,000 yards of offense with 35 total touchdowns. Certainly not as gaudy as Newton’s statistics, however, Thomas’ numbers are far from pedestrian.

Oregon runs what many people believe to be a “pro style offense.” The balance between their passing and rushing attacks is similar to the style seen in most NFL systems. Part of the reason why Oregon is able to remain balanced is do to the play of sophomore running back, LaMichael James.

James ran wild this season, he totaled 1,682 rushing yards in 11 games, averaged 6.0 yards per carry, and found the endzone 21 times. It comes as no surprise that James was a finalist for the Heisman trophy. Although he was not able to secure the award for nation’s top college player, he received the 2010 Doak Walker award for the country’s best running back. James won the award with little competition despite missing the first game of the season because of a domestic violence arrest.

The SEC is a perfect 6-0 in national championship games. They have won 5 out of the last 7, including a streak of 4 consecutive victories, which Auburn will look to perpetuate tonight. Interestingly enough, Heisman trophy winners are just 1-3 in the past five years in the National Championship game. The sole winner, Mark Ingram, led Alabama to a title last season.

The PAC-10 has only had one national champion since the introduction of the BCS in 1998. USC won the title in 2004 however; the trophy was vacated in lieu of the Reggie Bush scandal. Oregon is only the second team to represent the PAC-10 in the national championship.

Look for a high scoring battle between these two offensive powerhouses. The winner may not be decided until the final drive. Although both teams appear to be unstoppable, I like Auburn at a neutral stadium. I think Cam Newton will once again elevate his play in a big game, and bring the title back to the state Alabama for a second consecutive season.

Auburn 35 Oregon 31

College Bowl Picks/Previews: Part 9

The last three games. Two bowls that very few people care about, then the big enchilada in the desert. I'm 17-14 in my picks so far, and have selected each BCS game correctly.

Saturday - 12:00 PM - ESPN
BBVA Compass Bowl - Birmingham, AL
Pittsburgh Panthers vs. Kentucky Wildcats
This would be a really good basketball game. Football? Not so much. Pitt can salvage their season with a win here. Kentucky was the SEC's whipping boy, going 2-6 in conference play, beating Vanderbilt and upsetting South Carolina. Wins against Western Kentucky, Akron, and Charleston Southern inflated their record. Pitt should walk.



Sunday - 9:00 PM - ESPN
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl - San Francisco, CA
#15 Nevada Wolfpack vs. Boston College Eagles
Nevada only lost one game. They beat Boise State and won the WAC. They averaged over 42 points and 300 rushing yards per game. They'll face a BC defense that was actually 19th in the country, and might give them a fight. But BC was also 109th on offense, and so will ultimately lose. Though it might be close.



Monday - 8:30 PM - ESPN
Tostitos BCS National Championship Game - Glendale, AZ
#2 Oregon Ducks vs. #1 Auburn Tigers
The Ducks scored 49.3 points per game (#1 in the country), and allowed 18.4 (#14). But that was in a very shallow Pac-10. Oregon's biggest road win was at USC. I think this game will be close, and Auburn has more experience in close, difficult games. Oregon is a great team, and perhaps more talented all around. Cam Newton is such a load-carrying player, though. And his teammates play with character. They've proven so much more than Oregon.

Auburn wins, 31-27.









-The Commodore