BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!

This picture pretty much sums it up for me as an Auburn fan: family.  Right now, it really hasnt sunk in how awesome and perfect this season really was and how long we have waited for this championship.  Auburn was shafted in 1983 when the #3 Tigers beat Michigan in the Sugar Bowl while the #1 and #2 teams lost.  Instead of Auburn moving up to #1 (like they should have) #5 Miami was moved ahead of them.  Miami beat the then #1 Nebraska because Nebraska went for two after they scored a touchdown to cut the Miami lead to one.  Miami held them and won the game and the national championship.

In 1993, Auburn was on probation and ineligible for postseason play.  They were not, however, ineligible to be voted #1 or win the championship. Auburn beat the defending national champs (Alabama) and the then #1 Florida Gators.  The Tigers did not get a chance to prove they were the best and were only voted to #3.

In 2004, Auburn was streaking toward the end of the year, playing the best ball of anyone in the country.  Auburn played a top ten Georgia team in the next-to-last game of the year and absolutely waxed them.  Georgia scored 6 points and they shouldnt have even done that.  Auburn was so dominating that the voters put Auburn #2 in the BCS, tied with Oklahoma and behind USC.  Auburn traveled to Tuscaloosa the next week and played a very gritty bama team in the pouring rain.  Auburn struggled early, but put bama away in the third quarter.  Bama scored a late meaningless TD to put the score at 21-13 but voters who didnt watch the game saw the score and thought the game was alot closer than it was.  Bama didnt even cross the 50 one time in the second half until that late TD drive against AU's 2nd string.  Auburn beat UT in the SEC championship but allowed them to come back and cut the lead to 10 late in the game.  Same situation here, AU dominates but allows some late scores and the voters think that the game is closer than it is.  AU stays at #3 and doesnt get a chance to play for it all.

This year, Auburn controlled their own destiny and took care of business the whole way round. Overcoming deficits, dispelling hack reporting, not listening to the people doubting and beating probably more talented teams was what this team did this year.  I am going to go through a list of one play in each game that defined the AU perfect season:

Ark St. - Cam escaping pressure and running around for what seemed like forever while the line blocked their butts off and it ends with around a 70 yard TD scramble.

Miss St. - Going into a tough environment and beating a good Bulldog team.  Emory Blake catching a screen pass and then keeping his feet moving while being tackled and falling into the endzone.

Clemson - Falling behind by 17 and coming back and never giving up.  Picture of things to come.

South Carolina - Again falling behind and coming back.  Sorry, but I've got two: Cam's run and dive into the endzone for the first TD of the game and setting up him being the go-to-guy for AU. #2 is Josh Bynes and Demond Washington and the AU Defense stepping up and getting 4 HUGE turnovers to seal the victory.

Louisiana Monroe - first AU game for my 3yo daughter and Cam threw a 97 yard TD pass and didnt run once!

Kentucky - after getting out to a big lead, UK came back and tied the game late.  Auburn then drove the length of the field in about 71/2 min and kicked the game winning field goal to go 6-0.

Arkansas - Getting two fourth quarter turnovers to seal a victory in the highest non-OT scoring game in SEC history.

LSU - Cam's half-the-field run through and over and by the LSU defense, including Pat Patterson, on his way to a TD and elevating himself to the Heisman favorite.

Ole Miss - After being newly crowned #1 in the BCS that week, Cam's TD catch from Kodi Burns while dispelling the notion that it was going to be a let down Saturday in the Grove.

Chattanooga - the week the allegations were released.  Auburn came out with a workmanlike effort and gave the starters the rest they needed for Amen Corner.

Georgia - allegations in full swing, would Cam play? would the season be shot? Could Auburn rise above it an actually win?  Yes, Auburn scores a bunch and Fairley abuses Aaron Murray.

Alabama - being down 24 points, Auburn storms back and wins by one.  The play that signifies the season for AU is Antoine Carter running down Mark Ingram (2009 Heisman winner) and knocking the ball out of his hands and into the endzone for a touchback.  The second best was the second play from scrimmage in the 2nd half where Cam threw a 70 yard TD pass to T Zac that cut the lead to 10 and put AU right back in it.

SEC Championship vs South Carolina - After USC scored to cut the AU lead to 7 right before half, AU launched a hail mary into the endzone as time expired and Darvin Adams caught the tipped ball for a TD and a backbreaking momentum shift.

BCS National Championship vs Oregon - I would say it has to be Mike Dyer's run after it appeared he had been tackled but his knee never hit the ground.  Oregon stopped but Mike didnt and he kept running til he put us in field goal range.  The defense played great and held Oregon to 30 points below their season average.

It's great to be an Auburn Tiger!  In my next few posts, hopefully, I will give an overview of the game and where Auburn stands for recruiting this year (so far very good) and how the team may look next year.  Cant wait to celebrate with my friends that got to go to the game! Til next time....WAR EAGLE!