Auburn-Oregon Preview: The Receivers

Welcome to the third of 17 — yep, 17 — BCS National Championship Game preview pieces here on OGS. Each day until Jan. 10, we'll take a comparative look at Auburn and Oregon. Today's third topic examines each team's receivers.

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

Each team is blessed with a reliable receiving corps, though neither side boasts a terribly prolific passing game.

Auburn and Oregon have good air attacks, but considering both teams value the rush far more than the pass, it's hard to see that one team has a distinct advantage over the other in this area. But if your measurable sways in favor of the team with the best individual receiver, let's talk about Jeff Maehl.

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Auburn-Oregon Preview: The Running Backs

Welcome to the second of 17 — yep, 17 — BCS National Championship Game preview pieces here on OGS. Each day until Jan. 10, we'll take a comparative look at Auburn and Oregon. Today's second topic is the running back position.

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

Auburn quarterback Cam Newton was the best player in college football this fall, but a not-too-shabby third-place Heisman finish went to Oregon running back LaMichael James.

James is the best running back in the country. He's small in size but, thanks to some elite-level speed, has a knack for making the big play. He is the perfect type of ballcarrier for the Oregon attack, as well as the poster boy for the evolution of the modern offense.

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Auburn-Oregon Preview: The Quarterbacks

Welcome to the first of 17 — yep, 17 — BCS National Championship Game preview pieces here on OGS. Each day until Jan. 10, we'll take a comparative look at Auburn and Oregon. Today's first topic is the quarterback position.

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

Auburn has the undisputed best player in the country. Cam Newton was a true dual-threat superstar throughout the season and there's no reason to think he won't dazzle once more in the BCS National Championship Game.

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No Sophomore Jinx For Kelly, Chizik

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

Remember when I wrote this?

Me too, and regardless of which team wins the BCS Championship in Glendale, Ariz., next month, a second-year head coach will hoist the crystal Coaches' Trophy for the fourth time in 11 seasons. That's actually pretty impressive.

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Fowler, ESPN Navigate Newton's Bumpy Road

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

Everything seemed to go about as well as expected during Heisman weekend here in New York City.

ESPN's face of college football, Chris Fowler, hosted a solid show Saturday night during which Auburn quarterback Cam Newton won the Heisman Trophy as expected.

Before the live broadcast began, perhaps no one knew whether to expect any awkward moments, but both the live and viewing audiences got exactly that when Fowler referenced the Reggie Bush scandal early in the show, and again when he touched on Newton's father, who, to the surprise of no one, was absent from the intimate ceremony.

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Auburn Comeback Impressive, But Oregon Win More Telling

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

Fans at Auburn and Oregon have one thing to be thankful for this holiday weekend:

The second half.

Both teams were impressive after halftime on Friday, claiming critical victories to keep alive their dreams of playing for the national championship. Auburn did it more dramatically in the second half, while Oregon did it more thoroughly, which, in my opinion, made the Ducks' win slightly more convincing than the Tigers'.

Auburn spotted defending national champion and hated rival Alabama a 24-point lead just 22 minutes in. Bryant-Denney Stadium was louder than SEC analyst Gary Danielson had ever heard it, he said on the CBS telecast.

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Cam Newton Timeline

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

The Cam Newton story is an interesting one that doesn't appear to be anywhere near its final chapter. I'll try to update this timeline as soon as significant developments warrant. In the meantime, feel free to bookmark or share:

2007: Cam Newton is a true freshman quarterback at Florida, backing up Tim Tebow, who would win the Heisman Trophy at the end of the season.

2008: Newton backs up Tebow again, sees action in Florida's season-opener, but hurts his ankle and takes a medical redshirt. Also during this season, Newton is found to be in possession of a stolen laptop computer.

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More Than A Football Field Should Determine Heisman Winner

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

Are you like me? Are you tired of hearing that "the Heisman Trophy is won on the playing field?"

The line was popular a couple months ago when Reggie Bush and his gravy-training family were the talk of the sports world.

The expression has reared its ugly head again the last week or so as Cam Newton and possibly his own gravy-training family now find themselves the talk of this same fickle sports world.

Sure the Heisman Trophy is won on the football field. But there's also a mention of the word "integrity" in the voter guidelines, and while I'm not yet convicting Newton of taking money to play at Auburn, it sure is starting to stink down there.

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Cameron Newton: More Than His Uniform is Dirty

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

Cameron Newton is in the news once more, and it again has nothing to do with the No. 2 Auburn quarterback's place atop the short list of 2010 Heisman Trophy candidates.

Newton is alleged to have been caught cheating while he was a student-athlete at the University of Florida, according to a report published on FOXSports.com late Monday night.

You know, I used to cause a fair amount of trouble myself in high school, and that's around the time I first heard the term "behavioral pattern."

Get a verbal reprimand from a teacher? It happens. A few more? Red flags no doubt. Suspended a time or two? There's your behavioral pattern.

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Cam Newton Takes Over The Heisman Race

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

Remember in the preseason when a big, athletic junior quarterback who rocks a No. 2 jersey for a national powerhouse got all kinds of Heisman hype?

Me too.

And now, after seven games, Cam Newton is atop the list of midseason Heisman candidates.

Like Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor, another 21-year-old dual-threat, Newton is just as dangerous on the run as he is with his arm. Auburn's leader has carried the Tigers to a 7-0 start and No. 6 ranking in the latest OGS poll.

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No. 23: Auburn Tigers

The One Great Season College Football Countdown continues Wednesday. We'll be counting down the preseason Top 25 teams in 2010. Today's No. 23 is Auburn.

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

Remember when Gene Chizik's Tigers were the cute storyline a month into last season?

Another 5-0 start is possible this year, but just like in 2009, the second half of the season brings a load of heavyweight SEC bouts. Auburn loses its quarterback and running back as well as its top pass rusher from last season, but the cupboard is hardly bare heading into 2010.

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One Great Hit

Here's a clip from the Jan. 1, 1990, Outback Bowl between Ohio State and Auburn. We all know what happens when the Buckeyes play SEC teams in January, but that doesn't make this clip any less cool to watch.

OSU led, 14-3, but this Zack Dumas hit on Auburn's Stacy Danley woke up the Tigers, who rallied for a 31-14 victory. But it's still important for you to watch this video if you plan to have a good weekend:

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