In a game that was expected to be a shootout, the Auburn Tigers defeated the Oregon Ducks 22-19 to take the BCS National Championship game.
The Ducks trailed 19-11 with just five minutes left in the fourth when Casey Matthews, brother of Green Bay Packers Clay Matthews, forced Newton to fumble near midfield. It set up a touchdown and a game tying two-point conversion.
Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton lead the Tigers the length of the field in the final 2 minutes to set up a game winning field goal by Wes Bynum. Newton completed 20 of 23 passes for 265 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception in the game.
Newton performed admirably on the college football’s biggest stage but true freshmen Michael Dyer stole the show. Dyer rushed for 143 yards and a pair of touchdowns, his runs of 37 and 16 yards in the final drive set up Bynum’s easy field goal winner.
During the broadcasts, the game announcers said that Cam Newton’s father Cecil banned by Auburn from attending the game after he was the center of a scandal that involved him shopping his son to Mississippi State for $180,000. The NCAA conveniently said, Cam Newton had no knowledge of the dealing and allowed him to play in college football TV ratings bonanza. Photo evidence from Vasha Hunt of the post game celebrations show Cam and Cecil embracing in celebration after the game.
It was wrong for Auburn to ban the elder Newton but in the biggest game of his son’s life, it was good to see that Cecil was there to see it.
The line opened at -3 points favoring the Tigers but was bought down to -1 Oregon by game time. The high total of 73.5 points didn’t come close to being touched as the teams combined for just 41 points.
