BCS Bowl Projections: 10 Reasons Oregon Will Beat Auburn
With both Oregon and Auburn having one game left before a potential meeting in the BCS National Championship, it seems as good a time as any to discuss who can win that game and why.
The match-up would be one of the most unique and intriguing national championship games in recent memory, given that neither team was thought to be in this game at the beginning of the season. But that's why they play the games.
Can Oregon hang with the big, bad bullies from the SEC?
Here are 10 Reasons they can.
Quick-Strike Offense
1 of 10
The Oregon offense has been unstoppable all season long, except for one game against Cal.
They have put up insane offensive numbers across the board: 1st in FBS in scoring offense (50.5 ppg), 5th in rush yards per game (300.0), scored at least 60 points three times, at least 42 points in 11 games.
Containing them has been a task that only one team has been able to figure out.
LaMichael James
2 of 10
Before Cam Newton became the leading candidate for the Heisman trophy, all the talk was about LaMichael James and what he was doing with this Oregon offense.
Lately that talk has worn off, some even calling him more of a product of the system, but he still put up fantastic numbers: 1548 rush yards, 20 total TD's. He has put up those numbers while not playing in the first game of the season and still has one regular season game to play.
He won't win the Heisman but he should be able to sit next to Cam Newton at the ceremony.
Darron Thomas
3 of 10
I am not the biggest Darron Thomas fan in the world, I have questions about his accuracy and his ability to be able to use his arm to bring a team back from a deficit.
With that said, he has been slowly showing some improvement as a quarterback. Also, he hasn't really had to bring the team back because when Oregon is often blowing teams out. I think that the dynamic that he brings to the table can frustrate Auburn's defense, which has shown some holes in this season.
Oregon's Best Win Is Better Than Auburn's Best Win
4 of 10
Auburn had the most shocking win with their comeback against Alabama. However, Oregon's signature win is better than Auburn's signature win.
The Ducks best win came against a Stanford team that will finish the year 11-1 and will play in a BCS game.
In that game, Stanford took a 21-3 lead in the first quarter. After that quarter, Oregon outscored Stanford 49-10. They overwhelmed the #4 team in the country.
Auburn has more wins against better competition but Oregon has the most impressive win with that performance against Stanford.
Oregon's Underrated Defense
5 of 10
The Ducks defense does not get the credit that it deserves because their offense is so good.
They finished 15th in FBS in points allowed per game (18.3), tied for 30th in sacks (28), tied for 18th in INT's (16). They can pressure the QB and they have the ability to create turnovers which always plays a big part in deciding a game against two evenly matched teams.
Coaching
6 of 10
Chip Kelly is one of the most innovative coaches in college football today. He has been Oregon's head coach for only two years but in those years they have ranked near the top in most offensive categories including scoring, rush yards, and total yards. He is able to get every ounce of talent out of his players which makes him even more valuable as a coach.
Offensive Line
7 of 10
The reason that guys like LaMichael James and Darron Thomas are able to shine is because of the play of the Oregon offensive line.
The guys in the trenches are the ones that give James room to run through so he can break off an 80-yard touchdown run at any moment. The under-appreciated Oregon offensive line can move around the Auburn defensive line and create the room necessary for Thomas to run or throw and for James to run his heart out.
Auburn's Defense
8 of 10
Auburn has been great this year.
However, they do have some holes, especially in their defense. They finished 57th in FBS in points allowed per game (25.1), tied for 96th in INT's (8). To their credit they did finish tied for 23rd in sacks with 29. They have given up a lot of points and they don't create a lot of turnovers.
That's a bad mix going up against this Oregon offense. It could cause them problems against South Carolina in the SEC title game, too.
Cam Newton's Allegations
9 of 10
Up to this point, nothing has seemed to bother Cam Newton in regards to the allegations against him. He has had nerves of steel. Can he maintain that high level of performance with rumors and innuendo swirling all around him? It's possible he can.
Earlier today, the NCAA came out and declared him eligible and cleared him of any wrong doing, so this could help him and his mindset even more.
Oregon Appears To Be Better
10 of 10
I think that Auburn has beaten better competition, obviously since they play in the SEC that was going to happen.
However, Oregon appears to be a much more complete team than Auburn. The Ducks are better on offense, better on defense, kicking is about the same for both teams.
It's really a matter of taste. If you think that the SEC is the world beating conference that it has been, you are likely to favor Auburn. If you are going based on performance and raw numbers, you are likely to favor Oregon.
It's close, but I think that Oregon can beat Auburn.
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