BCS Championship Recap: Three Studs & Three Duds

The clock ticked zero and the #1 Auburn Tigers walked off the field with a slim 3-point victory over the #2 Oregon Ducks to be crowned the BCS National Champions. The yards were there (519 for Auburn and 449 for Oregon), but this was suppose to be shoot out, not the defensive battle it turned into.

Now, I was cheering for Oregon, but mostly, I was cheering for a good game, and that was exactly what we had. Even up until the end and Wes Byrum's eventual chip shot, I was hoping he would miss and we would see only the second overtime game in the BCS (The other, the 2001 Miami (FL) vs. Ohio State).

Here are my studs and duds of the 2011 BCS National Championship.

BCS Studs

The Auburn D figured out a way to slow Oregon

1. Auburn's Defense - They had two sacks and two interceptions. They held a Heisman Trophy runner-up and the Doak Walker Trophy winner LaMichael James to 44 yards rushing, 0 rushing touchdowns and only a long of 14 yards. When Oregon got into the red zone, they intercepted Darron Thomas once and stopped the Oregon offense on the 1-yard line. Oregon was averaging almost 50 points per game, and the Auburn defense held them to 19. Before the game, I said Auburn would have to control the tempo, and that was exactly what they did.

Keep running!

2. Auburn RB Michael Dyer - Dyer rushed for 142 yards and averaged 6. 5 yards per carry. He didn't have any touchdowns, but he pounded the ball when Auburn needed him the most, including two crucial plays at the end of the game. In the video above, you can see that Dyer thought he was down, but he wasn't, and he kept running for a 37-yard gain that basically clinched the game with Auburn's great kicker. But, he didn't stop there. When Auburn was just trying to get the ball in the middle of the field, he ran it again, up the middle, to the 1-yard line. While not flashy, Dyer had a great game.

Oregon lost, but Maehl had a great game

3. Oregon WR Jeff Maehl - Maehl had 133 receiving yards for an average of 14.8 yards per catch. He had a 81 yard play when Oregon was backed up against their own goal line. If he had been faster, he would have had a touchdown. Maehl also had the 2-point conversion that tied the game at 19 before Auburn's eventual game-winning drive. When Thomas needed a big pass, he targeted Maehl.

BCS Duds

Not a very good performance

1. Oregon RB LaMichael James - James only had 44 yards on the ground and zero rushing touchdowns. Especially in the second half, James could not run the ball up the middle for anything. He did catch two touchdowns, but both were less than 10 yards. A guys who is known for big play ability, his biggest play was only 21 yards. Also, he was sacked in the end zone to give Auburn two points. Now, this wasn't all his fault, but nonetheless, he didn't have a great statistical game.

Tackle, tackle, tackle

2. Oregon's Tackling - Oregon's defense had a pretty solid game, but when it mattered the most, they couldn't, and didn't, tackle. When every boy starts playing football, you are taught to play until the whistle. There was no whistle on Dyer's big run, but all the Oregon defenders stopped. And again, when all Auburn was trying to do was put the ball in the middle of the field, the Oregon defense allowed Dyer to rush up the middle to the 1-yard line. Tackling is key, and Oregon just couldn't do it late in the game.

He won, but that wasn't what we were use to seeing from Newton

3. Auburn QB Cam Newton - Yes, Newton won the game and the national title, but he didn't have a "Cam Newton" type game. Besides throwing one less interception, Newton was outshone by Oregon QB Thomas. He had a little over 300 total yards, but he just wasn't that impressive. I may be in the minority. Newton had a fantastic year. A late fumble forced by Oregon LB Casey Matthews almost caused overtime when Oregon capitalized with a touchdown and a two point conversion. When it matter most, Auburn got it's big plays from Dyer. Newton didn't have a bad game, but it was anything to write home about.

Auburn v. Oregon - This is Going to be Fun

I have been MIA for awhile now. I was getting through my last semester of school and starting my job here in Colorado. But, now that I am settled in, I am ready to start getting back into the addiction known as blogging. As you have probably noticed, I have changed the name of my blog to Football Perspective that way I can focus on my favorite sport. I will touch on NFL and NCAA football. Seeing as the biggest college football game of the year is tonight, what a great day to start back up!

BCS National Championship - #1 Auburn vs. #2 Oregon

For all the marbles.

It is time for the BCS National Championship, and in one of the rare years, the BCS may have got it right (only argument would be for TCU). The Auburn Tigers (13-0, 8-0 SEC) were a long shot to win the SEC this year with Alabama picked to win back-to-back national titles. The Oregon Ducks (12-0, 9-0 Pac-10), after losing Jeremiah Masoli, were still a popular pick for the weaker-than-usual Pac-10, but who would have thought the Ducks would be sporting their eccentric uniforms in the grand daddy of them all. Nonetheless, both teams are here, both teams are undefeated, and both teams will put up points and what may be the most entertaining national championship game since Vince Young beat USC.

Either team could walk out the victors tonight in Arizona. Here are my keys.

Auburn Tigers

If Oregon can stop Newton from running, they could win.

Why Auburn could win: Cam Netwon. He is the Heisman Trophy winner and one of the most explosive players of all time in college football. Newton rushed for over 1,400 yards and 20 touchdowns, but he also threw for 2,500 yards, 28 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions. The team has been down before this season, but Newton always found a way to bring them back. His NCAA violations aside, he can control the tempo of a game.

Why Auburn could lose: The defense. They have allowed over 24 points per game this season. They gave up 34 points to Kentucky and have allowed over 24 points six times in 2010. A good Arkansas offense scored 43. Oregon's offense is better.

What they must do: Control the tempo and allow Cam Newton to run. Oregon scores points and they score fast. If they let Oregon control the tempo, they could be in for a long night. Cam Newton also needs to run the ball to open up the pass and keep the Oregon defense on their toes.

Oregon Ducks

Darron Thomas needs to keep doing what he has been doing.

Why Oregon could win: Offense baby. The ducks are averaging over 530 yards per game and over 49 points per game this season. LaMichael James was a serious threat to Newton for the Heisman and won the Doak Walker award for the best running back in college football. Darron Thomas has been just as good as Newton in passing this year, with over 2,500 passing yards and 28 touchdowns. He can scramble as well.

Why Oregon could lose: Kicking. The Ducks kicker, Rob Beard, missed two big field goals in a game Oregon could have lost to Cal. He has only knocked in 9 of 12 field goals this year, so not much practice this year. While the Oregon offense may score a lot of touchdowns, in a game against one of the top two teams in the country, field goals may play a factor. Beard has to hit big kicks in this game.

What they must do: Stop Cam Newton running. If they can stop Newton from running, and force him to pass, they can not only control the tempo when they are on offense, but also when they are on defense. Newton can pass, but if they can make him only a passing threat, that will help the defense in containing the wide receivers.

My Pick: Oregon 42 - Auburn 38

This is a great match-up between two great offenses. It will, in my opinion, be a shoot out. I think Oregon's defense will contain Newton and their offense will outscore Auburn.