BCS Rankings Week 3: Why Auburn Is Better Than Oregon
BCS Rankings Week 3 came out on Sunday with Auburn making way for the Oregon Ducks at the No. 1 spot.
This coming a day after the Tigers dispatched Ole Miss, 51-31, and the Ducks defeated USC, 53-32. Their logic of giving the Ducks the No. 1 spot had to lie in the fact that USC was ranked in the Top 25.
Considering the Oregon win a bigger accomplishment than the Ole Miss take-down by the Tigers allowed Oregon to overtake Auburn as the top ranked team in the country.
But we know that No.1 teams don't usually stay atop the perch for long. Auburn is the much better football team.
Here's why.
10. They Play A Tougher Schedule: SEC Better Than Pac-10
1 of 10
There's always talk about the SEC being overrated. But the fact remains that the Tigers have done more to earn respect from voters by virtue of their tougher schedule.
Auburn has faced three opponents which were ranked at the time that they played them: Arkansas, South Carolin and of course LSU.
Add to that a Mississippi State team they played in Week 2 of the season that is now ranked in the BCS standings, and they have faced and defeated four Top 25 teams this season.
That's what happens when you play in the SEC, one tough game after the other.
During the start of the season, many mentioned the talent in the Pac-10 and other teams that could come out and give the Ducks a run for their money.
But that hasn't been the case.
Oregon has only played two ranked teams, Stanford on October 2nd, and USC this past Saturday on the road.
9. Bigger Wins: Opponent Breakdown
2 of 10
Still think Auburn hasn't been tested? Here's a breakdown:
Mississippi State is 7-2, South Carolina is 6-2, Arkansas is 6-2 and LSU is 7-1.
Those are four teams that Auburn had to beat to be where they are today.
Meanwhile, Oregon has only defeated Stanford, 7-1, and a rebuilding USC team that just earned their third loss of the season under first-year head coach Lane Kiffin.
Therefore, there should be more value given to the wins that Auburn has earned this year.
8. Auburn Is Battle Tested
3 of 10
Oregon may have won games by a larger margin of victory, but Auburn has been battle tested.
From early troubles against Mississippi State, now ranked in the Top 25, and a close overtime game against Clemson, the Tigers struggled early this season but have definitely found their groove now nearing the end of the season.
After a near loss in Kentucky, the Tigers bounced right back with back-to-back wins against tougher SEC foes, Arkansas and LSU.
From those early close-calls the team has learned how to deal with adversity and has remained one of the best in football.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
7. Gene Chizik Is Underrated
4 of 10
There has been plenty of talk about Oregon's Chip Kelly and his prolific offense.
But little usually gets said about Chizik and his accomplishment as head coach at Auburn.
In two seasons with the team he has already totaled 17 regular season wins, and he's still going. The fact that he managed to win eight games without Cam Newton and with a very poor defense last season is already quite an accomplishment.
Now with Newton and more depth on his squad a season later, he's taking Auburn where they've never been before: No. 1 in the BCS standings last week.
6. Efficient Passing Game
5 of 10
The Tigers have a very good passer in Cam Newton, and the Ducks have not lost a step with Darron Thomas stepping in to run Chip Kelly's offense.
Newton, however, is a more efficient passer than Thomas. He has completed 66.7 percent of his passes this season even though he struggled at the beginning of the season completing less than 60 percent of his passes in his first four games.
Oregon's offense throws the ball a lot more than Auburn's, but the Tigers do make more out of their opportunities.
5. More Effective Running Game
6 of 10
LaMichael James has hands down been one of the best running backs in the country. In fact, he's probably second only to Cam Newton in the race for the Heisman trophy.
At the running back position, Oregon has a clear advantage over Auburn, with James running for 1,210 yards and 14 TDs this season.
But don't forget, Cam Newton is one of the biggest mobile threats in the country. With his ability to run with the football, Newton has collected 1,122 rushing yards and 14 TDs.
Those numbers already match that of LaMichael James. Add to the mix the contributions of starting tailback, Michael Dyer—723 yards and four TDs—and the Tigers actually have a more effective and potent running game.
4. Elevated Play From Cam Newton's Presence
7 of 10
They say great players make their teammates even better.
With Cam Newton, the Tigers may just have one of those type of players that only come around once every generation.
His presence makes the team much better with his ability to run and throw the football.
He also makes the rest of his teammates more effective simply because they have a boost in confidence playing alongside him.
3. The Timely Defense
8 of 10
Considering that these two teams are among the nation's best in scoring the football, neither of them have been known for their defensive prowess.
While Oregon has pitched two shutouts, against New Mexico and Portland State, they have not been able to limit the scoring opportunities of much better opponents. Oregon allowed 31 points to unranked Pac-10 opponent Arizona State and top-ranked Stanford. They also let the USC Trojans score 32 points on them on October 30.
Auburn, on the other hand, was able to limit a very good LSU to only 17 points. It was a good time to show poise, maturity and growth on the defensive end against a top-ranked opponent.
Although, defense is not their best attribute as a football team, they played great when it counted.
The advantage in defensive performance goes to Auburn, not Oregon.
2. Intangibles And "Wow" Moments
9 of 10Newton's 49-yard run against the LSU Tigers may have just won him the Heisman trophy this season.
But that has just been typical of him of late. This past Sunday Newton caught a pass for a touchdown.
While the Ducks have won all their games this season, they have lacked any big-time moments when compared to the Tigers.
1. They Believe
10 of 10
Led by college football's best player, Cam Newton, a very good head coach and a prolific offensive attack, this team has already completed a remarkable improvement from last season, when they were 8-5.
At 9-0 this year, they're already much better than they were a year ago.
If Auburn eventually defeats old rival Alabama in the Iron Bowl, there's no question they will believe, and nothing will stop them.
In the end if the National Title comes down to a match between Oregon and Auburn, Auburn will win hands down. They are clearly the best team in the country.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
