FOOTBALL

In college football, the big day was upon us — The BCS National Championship Game between the #1 Auburn Tigers and the #2 Oregon Ducks.  This game has been anticipated for weeks.  Auburn were the kings of the SEC this year, typically the toughest conference in college football.  They even overcame a 31 point deficit in Alabama earlier this season.  Winning there is nearly impossible.  Their hero has been Cam Newton, their mobile quarterback who broke school records and recently won the Heisman trophy.  Behind Newton, the Tigers have been posting up some amazing point totals.

Oregon has exhibited one of the most exciting offenses in college football history.  They have unique, never-seen-before plays and have a hurry-up offense that boggles defenses.  For example, they will run a 15 yard run play, and before the defense can catch their breath, they’re at the line again running another play 10 seconds later.  It doesn’t give the defense time to think.  Plus, they have a secretive coded play-calling system from the sidelines.  They hold up poster boards with 4 random, yet colorful images.  These apparently mean something, and people have been trying to decode them all season.  This would be a National Championship to remember.

The first quarter started off slow.  Both teams played very sloppy, and you could see that both were extremely nervous to be in the National spotlight.  It was 0-0 at the end of the first.  In the second, both teams started to shine a bit putting some points on the board in their traditional fashion.  Oregon even ran a trick play on an extra point, lateraling the ball to their kicker for a 2-point conversion.  Incredible.  But Auburn went into the half up 16-11.

The 3rd quarter was slow as well, and all we saw was a field goal from Auburn.  More notably, Oregon simply couldn’t get their offense going.  In the 4th quarter this continued, as Auburn continued to stay on the field with short running plays.  And on 3rd down, Cam Newton seemed to do whatever was necessary to pick up the first downs.  But, late into the 4th quarter, Oregon knocked the ball from Cam Newton and recovered a fumble.  They actually had a chance to tie this thing up.  They marched down the field, and then, on a trick play, Oregon QB Derron Thomas threw a cool shovel pass to LeMichael James for a TD.  Then, in spectacular fashion, Thomas threw an amazing cross-field pass to Jeff Maehl for the 2-point conversion.  It was pure magic.  But Auburn would have some time.

Auburn was moving the ball steadily, but one play changed the whole game.  Auburn running-back Jonathan Dwyer ran for a short gain, and was tackled.  The play stopped, but players on the Auburn sideline screamed that the play was never whistled dead.  So even though players were just standing around, Dwyer took off running.  37 YARDS DOWN THE FIELD!!!  The play was reviewed to see if Dwyer’s knee actually touched the ground (which would rule him down).  But it didn’t.  It was a fair play that put Auburn in incredible field position.  What a tough break for the Ducks to give up a big gain on a play when they weren’t even trying.  Then, Dwyer ran for another big one to the 1 yard line.  And with that, Auburn kicker Wes Byrum came in and booted a simple 19 yard field goal to win the National Championship.  Tough luck for Oregon, but congratulations to the Auburn Tigers on winning it all.  Auburn 22, Oregon 19.