Can Auburn Complete the Miracle Season with a BCS National Title Win over Florida State?

For the Auburn Tigers, this football season has been the most remarkable accomplishment of all time.  After going 3-9 last year, the team brought in a new coach and a new quarterback and had minimal hopes for success.  Until about halfway through the season, Auburn wasn’t even ranked, and they really only came into the BCS National Title conversation two weeks ago with their sensational victory over Alabama.

Meanwhile, their opponent in the title game, Florida State, came into the year with high hopes and a decent ranking.  Although the departing quarterback E.J. Manuel had left a large hole in the most important position on offense, the Seminoles featured a strong defense and great talent at the skill positions.  Incoming Freshman Jameis Winston showed great potential but would be a large question mark heading into the year.  He came through all right, throwing for nearly 4,000 years and 38 touchdowns.  He has also shown great maturity for a youngster, throwing just 10 interceptions, and he is now a finalist for the Heisman trophy.  The team also harbors the number 2 scoring offense in the nation.  Defensively, they have been a fortress, and are the top ranked team in points scored against them.  How can this Auburn team possibly contend?

The most important thing for Auburn is their ability to control games through their top-ranked rushing attack.  They have 3 capable running backs including Heisman hopeful Tre Mason (1621 rushing yards, 22 touchdowns), Corey Grant (650 rushing yards, 6 touchdowns), and Cameron Artis-Payne (609 rushing yards, 6 touchdowns).

But what makes the team the most threatening is their multi-talented quarterback Nick Marshall.  The Junior experienced a rough start to his collegiate career, being dismissed by Georgia and having to earn his way back to Division I football through a year at Garden City Community College.  But he has succeeded and is a key member of this Auburn team.  He routinely runs the option to great success, and even has put up serious numbers on the ground himself (1023 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns) amidst his respectable throwing numbers (1759 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, and just 5 interceptions).  Additionally, with the team’s tendency to run the hurry-up offense, their rushing attack capitalizes on exploiting mismatches and wearing out the opponents’ defenses.  Another great factor about Auburn’s fast tempo rushing assault is that they can continue to run even when behind in a game.  They did this to marvelous success against Alabama in the Iron Bowl when they were multiple scores behind.  Gus Malzahn has clearly worked magic with the Auburn Tigers, taking them from a winless record in the SEC in 2012 to the BCS National Championship game this year!

Now facing one of the top national defenses, the Tigers will be surely tested.  But they will also be the strongest matchup that Florida State has faced all year.  While FSU’s average score this year has favored them 50-10 over opponents, those teams of the ACC aren’t quite the most challenging teams around.  Only Clemson and Miami really stood a chance, and one could argue that they were severely over-ranked when those matches occurred.  And so while FSU went undefeated and is statistically favored in this game, Auburn should be pretty evenly matched.  And as evidenced by their ridiculous finishes to recent games, the Tigers seem to have luck on their side.  They even benefitted from Ohio State’s recent loss just to earn a spot in this game.  If there’s a team of destiny, this is it.  Remember, an SEC team has won the title 7 years running.  The real question should be: does Florida State have any chance at winning a title with a Freshman quarterback who is about to play his first game against a serious SEC contender?

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Is College Football Set For 1 Last BCS Championship Controversy?

 With the NCAA college football season heading down its final stretch, the time has come for preparations for the BCS National Championship match.  2013 is the final year in which there will be a single game that determines the winner, as in 2014 a 4-game playoff will be adopted by the NCAA.  But as it stands, this year could end up being quite controversial, as 5 major national contenders are undefeated and could potentially finish the year as so, leaving one final major controversy in the old BCS system that has plagued the game for so many years.

Right now the Alabama Crimson Tide, Florida State Seminoles, Ohio State Buckeyes, Baylor Bears, and the Oregon Ducks have yet to lose a game.  They each have a legitimate case for being the nation’s best team, and yet each is still facing major challenges up ahead.  By the end of the season, which of these teams will still be hanging strong and ready to win a BCS title?  Or will they all lose, opening the floodgates for numerous other team’s faint hopes?  Or will we be facing a final controversy with 3 or 4 teams equally qualified for that title match?

Fortunately, there are countless big games ahead for all these teams, meaning someone will surely slip up.  Baylor has had the softest schedule so far this year and haven’t played a top 25 opponent all season, but are facing a make-or-break section of their schedule ahead.  They face 10^th ranked Oklahoma Sooners on Thursday, and then have games against the Texas Tech Raiders and Oklahoma State Cowboys (both ranked).  Texas also looms large at the end of their season.  I foresee at least one loss for the team that currently has the nation’s best offense.

Another team with a tough road ahead is Alabama, who faces LSU and Auburn in addition to another SEC force should they make the SEC Championship.  If anyone is prepared for such a challenge Alabama surely is, as Nick Saban is vying for his 3^rd straight national title with quarterback AJ McCarron.

Oregon has been a usual national contender in recent years.  With a formidable rushing attack and a strong defense, they have every chance to be in the title game.  Up ahead though will be a major task against Stanford that could decide their fate this weekend, though the rest of their schedule is favorable.

Ohio State has probably the easiest run-in, with their massive rivalry against Michigan looking to be the toughest test.  Ohio State went undefeated last year but was ineligible for the postseason.  Head coach Urban Meyer looks to have righted the ship and could well see this team through to the big match.  However, the soft Big Ten has presented favorable matchups for the Buckeyes and it would be curious to see how they would fare against an Alabama or Oregon.

Lastly, there is Florida State, with freshman quarterback Jameis Winston. The team looks a major force and to me to be the best team in the nation.  They have already passed major tests against Clemson and Miami, though they may have to play Miami once more in the ACC title game and still must play rivals Florida.  Nevertheless, their dominance in those games suggests they can handle another test.

So how will it all play out?  The beauty of college football is that we really don’t know.  Games can always go either way, and chances are some of these losses may even occur against teams not deemed that big of a threat.  However, my money is on a Florida State – Alabama title game, with Alabama’s experience pulling them through.  However, I also have a hunch that the old BCS format will go out with a bang, and that either Ohio State or Oregon could get frustrated and left out.  Either way, it will surely be an interesting final month of college football to determine who plays in that glorious BCS Championship game!

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