Cam Newton: Scandal or Not, He's Saving College Football

Cam Newton, barring an upset of unforeseen and dramatic proportion, will step to the stage on Saturday evening, December 11th at the Best Buy Theatre in Times Square and accept the 2011 Heisman Trophy.

Newton, the Auburn sensation who brought his team from a 0-24 deficit to a nail-biting 28-27 victory at Alabama last week, is quite simply what the Heisman Trophy recognizes—the best player in college football.

Newton has no peer in college football. He is the standard-bearer, the focal point, the young man in college football's brightest spotlight and under its most powerful microscope.

Cam Newton's arm and legs have taken the Auburn Tigers to a perfect 12-0 record, and they'll face South Carolina on Saturday afternoon in the Georgia Dome for the SEC championship—victory will take them to the BCS title game.

Scandal or no scandal, the talk in the broadcast booth will be about Newton. He is the heart, soul and driving force for the Tigers and he's the most talked-about player in the nation.

While investigations run their course, while the talk of money and Newton's father persists, you would think that Auburn has investigated the lining out of this situation.

Auburn needs for Cam Newton to turn into Tim Tebow, rather than Reggie Bush.

The Heisman Trophy Trust needs Newton to turn into Tim Tebow rather than Reggie Bush.

Quite simply, Auburn, the SEC, college football and the Heisman Trust need Newton to be more like Tim Tebow and as far from Reggie Bush as it gets. 

Newton's persona has endeared him to the Auburn faithful. After each of those 12 wins, he has run to the Auburn student section to be with them, among them, one of them. He is Mr. Football, but no doubt, he's still Cam to his pals and fellow students.

His smile is infectious, and perhaps no one has ever handled the storm of controversy that has swirled around him as Newton has. He's simply been a focused leader on his team.

While Newton is an overwhelming favorite for the Heisman, his Tigers are a solid favorite to beat South Carolina on Saturday. Stranger things have happened, but you'd think that a team that kept it composure and did what it did at Alabama can surely survive South Carolina at a neutral site.

A run to the Heisman, a run to the title game and a run away from scandal and controversy have kept Newton at the center of discussion in a year when college football needed someone special.

Newton is that special guy.

He is simply that one rare talent, that leader that no one saw coming at the beginning of the season.

He's saved college football this year.

Scandal or no scandal.