Tiger Paradise

Auburn and Oregon, while known for the high flying offenses, didn't disappoint in a defensive showdown.  I had the feeling that this is probably how the game would play itself out.  Auburn are national champions because they were more suited to this kind of game.

They had won 6 games this season by 8 points or less (this game would make it 7), three of those wins came against ranked teams.  Another point to note is that all those six teams played in bowl games, finishing with a combined 3-3 record.  This team mirrors the 2002 Ohio State team as well as the 2003 LSU team; both teams won the national championship because they knew how to grind it out in the close games.

What Heisman jinx?

Oregon can hold their head up high even in defeat, because there is no shame in losing to a team that is just as good as you are, if not better.  Auburn seemed to have a little more gas in the tank and were able to make the extra plays needed for the win.  Oregon should be able to make another title run with both LaMichael James and Darron Thomas returning to school for another season.

Cam Newton may not have had his best game, but he surely did enough to get the Tigers over hump for the program's first national title since 1957.  His passing was off at times, but he connected on a couple of long touchdowns and broke off a big run every now and then.  When Oregon linebacker Casey Matthews forced a fumble off Newton, it seemed that Heisman jinx was back at work.  Oregon ended up tying the score, but Newton will be thanking Michael Dyer, the game's Offensive MVP, for saving the day, when he broke off runs of 37 yards and 16 yards to set up Wes Byrum for the game winning field goal.

Wes Byrum putting his foot down on matters.

The play of the game came when Nick Fairley and the Tigers defensive line stuffed Kenjon Barner on a "4th & Goal" play from the 1 yard line.  It was enough to turn the tide in Auburn's favor.  Had Oregon scored the touchdown or a field goal, there is a chance that they might have won the game.  Decisions, decisions; why do they have to be so hard.  Auburn's defensive line worked excellently, constantly pressuring Darron Thomas into throwing the ball early and stuffing LaMichael James at just about every opportunity they could get.  Along with Michael Dyer, they get my vote for the game's MVP.

As far as that Heisman Jinx is concerned (I covered this in an earlier article), we'll have to worry about it next year.  I gotta hand it to Cam Newton; this guy is just a winner.  Forget about all the NCAA investigations and whatnot.  He has won at just about every place he has been.  He won a national championship at Florida (as a backup to Tim Tebow), he led Blinn College to the juco national championship and lifted Auburn to national title.

With the kind of season that he's had, I think he's about ready to cash in on his talents (you can take that in any context that you'd like).  He should most likely go #1 overall, since Andrew Luck opted to return to school for another year (I kind of didn't see that one coming).  Should he leave, it would be wise to say that not only will we be crowning a different champion next season, but it likely won't come from the SEC. 

So in parting, I would like to congratulate Auburn on their great season.  Enjoy and hopefully, it won't be another 53 years before your next title.

Cam Newton vs the Heisman Jinx; who wins?



Since the 2000 season, the winner of the Heisman trophy has played in the national championship game in all but 2 seasons (2002 & 2007).  Only two of those winners (Matt Leinart, 2004 & Mark Ingram, 2009) have added the crystal ball to their bronze statue.


For some reason, the Heisman trophy winner has followed up a great season with probably one of their worst performances ever.  Even though the trophy is awarded for the regular season performance, I'm starting to think that maybe it should be awarded after the bowl games.  If bowl game stats count toward a player's total stats for the season, then I see no reason why they just can't move the Heisman Ceremony to mid-January.  It's only a one hour special anyways.


If they did so, we might have had a different winner in each case and Vince Young and Tim Tebow would probably join Archie Griffin as 2 time winners.  It's already bad enough that the Heisman trophy now is almost exclusive to only Quarterbacks and Running backs whose team is playing for a national title.  I'll cover that in another discussion.

Will he fall victim to the jinx?

For all the off field headlines and what not, Cam Newton definitely proved himself a worthy winner of this year's award.  Every time his team needed him, he answered the bell.  Despite a flawless performance in the SEC Title game, his crowning moment was when he led his team, down 24-0, to a win against Alabama.  Did I forget to add that this game was in Tuscaloosa and that Alabama were the defending national champion?

At 6'6", 250 lbs, he's just as big as his offensive linemen, if not bigger, but is he too big for the jinx?  Last year, Mark Ingram proved himself against a Texas team that was among the best at stopping the run.  However for the most part, 'Bama had a good defense as well and created enough turnovers to hold of the Longhorns.


Matt Leinart led a very good USC team against an Oklahoma team that quite honestly, should not have been in that game.  I'm not just saying that because OU lost, but Auburn was just as deserving as any; they beat more ranked teams down the stretch including Tennessee (twice).


Let's take a quick look at past winners who failed in the big game.


Chris Weinke, 2000.  Led a high flying Florida State into the title game against Oklahoma.  The offense never really found its rhythm against a stifling Oklahoma defense.
Eric Crouch, 2001.  Despite an outstanding season, Eric Crouch and Nebraska were overmatched against Miami and have never been the same since.
Jason White, 2003.  Written off before the season even started due to his 2 reconstructed knees, he ended up posting what was one of the most prolific seasons for a QB in school history.  Against LSU, he played through hand and foot injuries.  What's crazy is that as bad as Oklahoma played, they still could have won the game.
Reggie Bush, 2005.  Say what you may, but he put together a season that hasn't quite been seen in recent times (well, at least until Cam Newton this year).  While Bush wasn't quite as explosive in the title game, Vince Young was.  Enough said.
Troy Smith, 2006.  Had quite an outstanding season and was the very reason Ohio State was playing in the title game.  In the game against Florida, Ted Ginn was injured only seconds into the game and Smith desperately missed his "go-to" guy.  He spent the entire evening running for his life.
Sam Bradford, 2008.  Despite being the trigger-man in Oklahoma's point-per-minute offense, Florida got the better of the Sooners in this game due to one simple aspect; coaching.

Newton's law states that an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.  Let the games begin.