The offensive fireworks everyone expected didn’t happen. Instead the BCS title game between Auburn and Oregon was a grind-it-out slugfest, with neither side able to execute consistently against the other side’s defense. Fittingly, it wasn’t the arm of Cameron Newton or the legs of Michael Dyer that won the game for the Auburn Tigers, it was the foot of the most prolific scorer in Auburn history, a kicker named Wes Byrum. He banged home a 19-yard field goal as time expired to claim the victory in Glendale, Arizona. The Auburn Tigers are the 2010-11 BCS National Champions.
Cameron Newton, the controversial quarterback whose entire season was overshadowed by potential NCAA violations that weren’t cleared until the very end of the year, still put together a good game, completing 20 of 34 passes for 265 yards with 2 touchdowns and an interception and rushing 22 times for 65 yards. Michael Dyer, Auburn’s freshman running back and the game’s MVP, ran 22 times for 143 yards. Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas completed 27 of 40 passes for 363 yards with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in the losing effort.
This is Auburn’s first national title since 1957, the first national title for Auburn coach Gene Chizik, and the fifth straight national championship for the Southeastern Conference. Interestingly enough, it’s also Cam Newton’s third straight national title. He won one as Tim Tebow’s backup in 2008, won a national title in junior college at Blinn, and now this title with Auburn.
Tags: Auburn University, Auburn Tigers, Oregon Ducks, BCS national championship game, NCAA Football, college national championship, Auburn beats Oregon 22-19, Auburn beats Oregon and wins the national title, Cam Newton, Michael Dyer, Wes Byrum, Darron Thomas, Gene Chizik, Cameron Newton, Oregon, Auburn, Glendale, Arizona, sports, football