BCS Championship Game: Gene Chizik Vs. Chip Kelly, Who Has the Edge?
Come Jan. 10, 2011, college football’s two best teams will square off in Glendale for the BCS National Championship Game. Each team is undefeated, has a Heisman finalist, and is led by a head coach seeking his first victory in a BCS bowl game.
Auburn is currently favored to win by three points. In a matchup that features two of the nation’s top offenses, it is basically a push. Will Oregon’s fast-paced spread offense be too much for Nick Fairley and the Auburn defense? Will Cameron Newton continue his Heisman award winning season with a national championship?
While those questions may be too difficult to answer in a game that gives each team competing over a month off, here are some matchups that are worth looking at before you decide who is going to be this season’s national champion.
Chip Kelly Vs. Gene Chizik
1 of 9
These coaches have a lot in common if you take a closer look at them. They both depend on mobile quarterbacks that also have the ability to throw the ball. They are both second-year coaches seeking their first BCS bowl victory. They both lead teams that are undefeated. The list goes on.
One area that they share in some ways, but not others is coaching in big games. Chip Kelly has experienced tough losses on the big stage, such as last year’s season opener at Boise State or against Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.
Gene Chizik has five losses in his two seasons at Auburn, with all of them coming in 2009. His loss on the big stage came against Alabama in the 2009 Iron Bowl on the last drive of the game.
Although Gene Chizik and his squad have battled through the always-tough SEC this season, Chip Kelly has a BCS bowl appearance under his belt and has responded well to losing his top two offensive players last season (Jeremiah Masoli and LeGarrette Blount).
ADVANTAGE: OREGON
Spread Offenses Collide
2 of 9
Oregon and Auburn have run the table in 2010 with the spread offense. They both have quarterbacks that have the ability to run and throw the ball. Both of their offenses feature a Heisman finalist.
The part where they differ is at the quarterback position. Cameron Newton has more star power and has been more dominant in running the spread offense compared to Darron Thomas.
The Oregon offense heavily relies on the nation’s leading rusher, LaMichael James. Although Auburn relies mostly on Newton for their rushing attack, the Tigers also feature three running backs that are capable of running the ball effectively.
ADVANTAGE: AUBURN
Don’t Forget About Defense
3 of 9
Believe it or not, Oregon and Auburn play defense too. They are known for scoring points, but their defenses have been able to keep other teams from scoring.
The most a team has scored against the Auburn Tigers was 43, but that was against future NFL stud Ryan Mallet and the Arkansas Razorbacks. USC managed 32 points against the Oregon Ducks.
When looking at these two teams, instead of focusing how their defense has performed this season, how they match up with one another is a better way to look at it.
This game appears that it is going to be decided by who has the ball last, so the question looms, who will be better at stopping the other team’s offense?
Vince Lombardi Trophy winner Nick Fairley and an Auburn defense that will feature the fastest defense that Oregon has faced all season figure to have an easier time stopping the fast-paced Oregon offense. Cameron Newton is a freight train that has not been stopped all season, and the Oregon Ducks do not appear to have the manpower to stop him either.
ADVANTAGE: AUBURN
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Strength of Schedule
4 of 9
Oregon has defeated three teams that were ranked when it played them, including the Stanford Cardinal, which is playing in the Orange Bowl.
Auburn has beaten four teams that were ranked at the time it played them, including the Arkansas Razorbacks, who are playing in the Sugar Bowl.
Auburn’s toughest nonconference game was a home victory against Clemson in overtime, whereas Oregon defeated Tennessee on the road by 35 points.
Auburn trudged through the tough SEC and came away unscathed, whereas Oregon virtually could not stop putting up points against every team it played this season.
This matchup is basically a tossup, but that would be no fun in an article that is going to determine which coach has the edge. Auburn gets the nod in this matchup by the slightest of margins.
ADVANTAGE: AUBURN
Cameron Newton Vs. LaMichael James
5 of 9
It wouldn’t be a national championship game without two Heisman finalists.
Cameron Newton gets another game to prove that he is the rightful winner of this year’s Heisman trophy. LaMichael James will look to continue his superb season and show the Heisman voters why he is a worthy candidate for next season.
Although James was the nation’s leading rusher, Newton is much more important to his team’s success. Oregon has relied on quarterback Darron Thomas, amongst others, in applauding their success in 2010, whereas Auburn jumped on the back of Newton and rode him to Glendale.
ADAVANTAGE: AUBURN
Batman Always Has A Robin
6 of 9
Every team has its star player as well as a few sidekicks, or every Batman has a Robin, if you will.
Cameron Newton and LaMichael James get the press for their team’s success this season, but without the help of defensive tackle Nick Fairley or quarterback Darron Thomas, neither Auburn nor Oregon would be undefeated this season.
For the Oregon Ducks, it’s obvious. Without quarterback Darron Thomas’ passing and running ability, there would be no one to help James carry the load.
For the Auburn Tigers, it’s a little tougher. Obviously, Newton can’t throw the ball to himself or run the ball every play, but he still seems to be the Auburn offense. That is exactly why we’ll look at the other side of the football for Newton’s Robin, Nick Fairley.
Nick Fairley is going to be a force to be reckoned with for the Oregon’s hogs up front, but Darron Thomas will be able to contribute in multiple ways and determine the outcome of this game more.
ADVANTAGE: OREGON
SEC Vs. Pac-10
7 of 9
With 10 teams participating in bowl games this season, the SEC boasts the edge in terms of depth as a conference.
The Pac-10 only has five teams bowl eligible, but Stanford’s selection in the Orange Bowl has allowed the conference to equal the SEC in BCS bowl participation. The Pac-10 did one-up the SEC by having two Heisman finalists though.
The SEC proved itself to be the toughest conference in college football once again. This is a statistic that cannot be held against Oregon, especially since they won their only matchup against an SEC team this season (@ Tennessee), but the strength of the SEC gives Auburn an advantage because their level of competition week in and week out is higher than Oregon’s.
ADVANTAGE: AUBURN
The Comeback Kids
8 of 9
Both of these teams have shown the ability to overcome early deficits to emerge victorious.
These two teams have not only come back, but poured it on in the second half in winning these games.
Auburn’s staple comeback win was winning at Alabama in the Iron Bowl after trailing 24-0 at halftime.
Oregon’s most significant comeback was defeating Stanford at home 52-31 after trailing 21-3 in the first quarter.
Oregon has also come from behind at Tennessee giving them the advantage in coming from behind and pouring it on.
ADVANTAGE: OREGON
And The Edge Goes To...
9 of 9
If you have been keeping track, Auburn has the edge in five categories compared to Oregon’s three. That does not necessarily mean that Auburn is going to win. It does mean that in key matchups and statistics that are typically used in predicting a winner, Auburn is better.
Auburn is favored to win this game for a reason, and those are definitely some of them.
BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 2011
BOLD PREDICTION: AUBURN 42…OREGON 35
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
