The last weekend of college football was an oddity in a year of upsets.
Auburn, the No. 1 team in the country, dominated South Carolina for the SEC title and Oregon, ranked No. 2, beat their intra-state rival Oregon State. Both outcomes were very predictable.
The Auburn Tigers thrashed the South Carolina Gamecocks in the SEC Championship game 56–17. Auburn quarterback and Heisman Trophy frontrunner Cam Newton finished off his best year with a triumphant bang. Newton was accountable on six of eight touchdowns during the game. He passed for four and rushed two in.
Auburn is a team that has gone through a season of ups and downs. Many will think of them as the comeback kings having won 8 of their 13 victories after being down.
Another obstacle that Auburn has faced is their exceptionally talented quarterback Cam Newton being in the public eye for off-the-field actions ranging from an arrest in Florida to a scandal involving his father, who had requested funds from universities for a commitment from his son.
Either way, Auburn (13–0) will be a handful for the Oregon Ducks (12–0), who will have to bring everything they have to the playing field.
Auburn, the No. 1 team in the country, dominated South Carolina for the SEC title and Oregon, ranked No. 2, beat their intra-state rival Oregon State. Both outcomes were very predictable.
The Auburn Tigers thrashed the South Carolina Gamecocks in the SEC Championship game 56–17. Auburn quarterback and Heisman Trophy frontrunner Cam Newton finished off his best year with a triumphant bang. Newton was accountable on six of eight touchdowns during the game. He passed for four and rushed two in.
Auburn is a team that has gone through a season of ups and downs. Many will think of them as the comeback kings having won 8 of their 13 victories after being down.
Another obstacle that Auburn has faced is their exceptionally talented quarterback Cam Newton being in the public eye for off-the-field actions ranging from an arrest in Florida to a scandal involving his father, who had requested funds from universities for a commitment from his son.
Either way, Auburn (13–0) will be a handful for the Oregon Ducks (12–0), who will have to bring everything they have to the playing field.
Short Drive
In Oregon’s last weekend of regular season play they traveled the shortest distance all season heading north roughly 50 miles to play Oregon State. Oregon won the game 37–20 and denied Oregon State a chance for a bowl game.
Both Oregon and Auburn are undefeated this year going into the National Championship, as it should be. Six years ago Auburn was undefeated but was not selected to play in the BCS Championship game.
“To navigate through a 12-game season and to get through it undefeated is kind of special, and it’s something you can be really proud of,” Oregon coach Chip Kelly told the Washington Post.
“And now you get to go out and challenge yourself one more time against the best football team in the country.” Since Kelly took over in 2009 he has had a most impressive resume, now making it to two BCS bowl games in a row.
The Oregon Ducks have a strong driving force behind them as well having gained experience from losing to Ohio State last year in the Rose Bowl.
Oregon is a team with a strong history of Pac-10 dominance, but over the last 100 years of football, Oregon has never won a national championship. Auburn on the other hand won a national championship in 1957.
The Tostitos Bowl Championship game will bring together two teams that started the season out of the AP Top 10. The game will be played in Glendale, Ariz., on Jan. 10, 2011.
“To navigate through a 12-game season and to get through it undefeated is kind of special, and it’s something you can be really proud of,” Oregon coach Chip Kelly told the Washington Post.
“And now you get to go out and challenge yourself one more time against the best football team in the country.” Since Kelly took over in 2009 he has had a most impressive resume, now making it to two BCS bowl games in a row.
The Oregon Ducks have a strong driving force behind them as well having gained experience from losing to Ohio State last year in the Rose Bowl.
Oregon is a team with a strong history of Pac-10 dominance, but over the last 100 years of football, Oregon has never won a national championship. Auburn on the other hand won a national championship in 1957.
The Tostitos Bowl Championship game will bring together two teams that started the season out of the AP Top 10. The game will be played in Glendale, Ariz., on Jan. 10, 2011.
