Auburn is the SEC Champion: The Magical Season and Cameron Newton

The 2010 Auburn Tigers

When the season started I honestly thought Auburn had a shot at winning the SEC West. I didn't know anything about Cameron Newton, but still I believed the Tigers had a real good shot.

It wasn't just the returning starters, or the fact that Auburn had landed the best high school running back in the nation. It was based more off what Gus Malzahn had done the season before.

In 2009 Auburn outplayed their talent level big time. They jumped off to an incredible 5-0 start with an impressive win over West Virginia. I knew Barrett Trotter would be an upgrade at QB over Chris Todd.

I didn't know there was a Heisman worthy JC transfer QB named Cameron Newton. The coaching staff had said there was a battle for starting job, but I don't think it was ever really close. Cam Newton is probably the best QB I've ever seen.

Early in the season, I think he dazzled us with his elusiveness, but little did Auburn fans know, Newton could make all the throws.

When Cam jumped out to a great start, I thought he might be the best QB I've ever seen at Auburn. Now after seeing him will the team to a 13-0 record, I wonder if he isn't the best college QB I've ever seen.

Auburn is about to have their third Heisman Trophy winner. There have been lots of people comparing him to Tim Tebow. Cameron Newton is better than Tim Tebow.

Newton is bigger, faster, and stronger than Tim Tebow. There is nothing wrong with Newton's throwing mechanics, unlike Tebow who had a strange side-armed throw. Cam Newton is more accurate throwing the ball than Tebow.

Auburn faced their toughest opponents at home, with the exception of Alabama. The Tigers had what I thought was the best offensive line coming back. I thought they had a real shot at it.

I want to give Kirk Herbstreit credit on picking Auburn from day one. Even though he tried to back out before the Iron Bowl, I still want to give him his due respect for the pick.

The Tigers Have Been Here Before

Auburn was robbed of the chance to prove the 2004 team was a championship caliber team. This season they controlled their own destiny, and never doubted their destiny was the championship game.

Winning the SEC Championship is nothing new to Auburn, the BCS Championship that follows is definitely something new, but couldn't be more ready for the challenge. 

There is no situation the Auburn Tigers haven't been in this season. They've overcome deficits of 17 and 20 points. They've had shootout victories over Arkansas and Kentucky that were close.

Auburn has been tested in every game this season. Only UL Monroe and UT Chattanooga were cakewalk games. with every game, the next game got bigger.

After Week 3 against Clemson, it was clear to everyone that Cam Newton was the Auburn offense, and not one team could stop him, and South Carolina had two chances at it.

Maybe Auburn hasn't been in a BCS Championship Game with everything on the line, but they've played the last half of this season knowing the opportunity was to do so was on the line. The pressure has not got to them, nor do I think the pressures of the championship game will.

The Auburn Tigers, 2010 SEC Champions

South Carolina wasn't going to pull Stephen Garcia again, and if not for the timely fourth quarter interceptions, Auburn wouldn't have beaten the Gamecocks in the regular season showdown.

Everywhere you turned there was someone picking the upset. There was even talk about Auburn possibly playing in the title game with one loss.

Nobody not even Auburn fans expected to blow them out 56-17. The Tigers left no doubt that they were the better team, and they did it to Spurrier the way he'd done it to so many other, in blowout fashion.

There had been a lot of focus on the Auburn secondary, but little was said about South Carolina also having a suspect secondary. Newton didn't waste time exploiting their weakness.

Newton joined Tebow as the only two quarterbacks to throw for 20 touchdowns and also run for 20 touchdowns. There really is no doubt who the best player in the country is. Nobody is more deserving of the Heisman than Newton.

South Carolina was a really good team. The final score is no reflection of that team. Next season South Carolina will be the team to beat in the East. That Gamecocks offense will be returning all the players at skill positions on offense. Win or lose, Spurrier has turned that program around.

The BCS Championship Game

When Auburn plays Oregon for the National Championship, it's going to be like playing themselves. Oregon likes to run as many plays as possible, just like Auburn.

Both teams had started the season with a new QB, and both of them had incredible seasons. Is rare enough that one first-year QB makes it to the championship; having two is unheard of.

Auburn runs the ball well using three running backs, and Oregon runs it well behind LaMicheal James. Oregon has probably got a better defense statistically, but the toughness of the SEC evens it out some.

Oregon is going to have to do what no other team has. Stop Cam Newton. Like everyone else that's tried, Oregon will not be able to do it.

When I think about this matchup, it looks like a great game. I just wonder if it's going to come down to the last team to have the ball wins. TCU matched with either of these two teams would have been a disappointment. 

The BCS got this one right, the best two teams will be playing in the National Championship Game.