I wonder if Auburn head coach Gene Chizik has the game film from Oregon’s first win of the season.
If Chizik has it, he probably won’t need it. The reason: Oregon superstar running back LaMichael James, one of the four Heisman Trophy candidates, was suspended for hitting his girlfriend. The mainstream media has billed this titanic clash as James vs. Cam Newton, the Heisman Trophy winner.
It’s not that Oregon’s first win wasn’t a piece of what could be a national championship puzzle finally put together, but Chizik and the Tiger defense will have to shut down one of college football’s most potent offenses, spearheaded by James.
As far as what’s going on in the Duck pond, Oregon has the ability to halt arguably one of the best players in the historic Southeastern Conference. I’m talking about Newton.
For the game, I doubt Oregon and Auburn will be similar to USC’s shellacking of Oklahoma in the 2005 Orange Bowl. This game doesn’t seem to be blowout material.
In fact, I am actually afraid to look away from the TV because I might miss a score.
But all the talk has been Cam Newton this and Cam Newton that.
This could bode well for the Ducks. I think Oregon is quietly awaiting the chance to play Newton and the Tigers and again explode out of the gate Jan. 10.
Not to say that the Newton talk won’t die anytime in the next month.
Despite all of the off-the-field fun times for the newest Heisman Trophy winner, this might finally be another BCS classic.
(I kind of quivered and twitched while writing BCS classic. That’s a saying that doesn’t really sit well with American college football fans.)
Even though the game is being made out to be a clash between James and Newton, the Ducks’ fate will rest on quarterback Darron Thomas.
Thomas, who is a first-year starter at the position and replaced Jeremiah Masoli, another controversial college football star, excelled and played the position with leadership.
Thomas has thrown 28 touchdowns to seven interceptions in the hurry-up, zone-read offense designed by head coach Chip Kelly.
I think this could be Thomas’ game to win. He is clearly in Newton’s shadow, and in some ways he is this matchup’s unknown gunslinger.
If Thomas can create a few plays with his arm early, he will be able to rely on James and second-team running back Kenjon Burner. (Lobo fans have long forgotten about Burner.)
The running game has powered the Ducks to average about 80 plays per game, which has taken a toll on Oregon opponents.
The Auburn rushing attack averages 287.2 per game, which is sixth in the country. If the Tigers can pace themselves and not pull a performance out of their back pocket like the one they had in the SEC Title game last Saturday against South Carolina, they might rest their defense and slow down Oregon’s offensive onslaught.
While the Ducks and Tigers might not be the “traditional” BCS matchup that was brought about since the computer system’s inception in 1999, this game could go down as one of the most exciting, high-scoring, dramatic national championships of all time.
Closing the book on a mostly controversy-stricken 2010 season, it will end with a memorable championship game won by Oregon.
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