BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Alabama-Auburn has always been one of the most storied rivalries in college football, in a class with Ohio State-Michigan, Texas-Oklahoma and Florida-Georgia as the best in the country.
Alabama has usually been the headliner in the Iron Bowl. Just last year the unbeaten Tide was playing to keep its national championship hopes alive, but in Friday's version in Tuscaloosa, Alabama is the undercard to an upstart Auburn team that is 11-0 and ranked second in the BCS standings.
However, on what should be one of their brightest days of the year, the Tigers have a dark cloud hovering over them. They are being painted with a broad brush after allegations surfaced that the father of recycled star quarterback Cam Newton asked for money during his son's recruitment out of junior college.
Let's hope for the sake of college football this is just sour grapes on the part of other coaches who failed to successfully woo Newton and the majority of the SEC can get behind Auburn in its march to a potential national championship.
The conference needs the Tigers to beat 10th-ranked Alabama (9-2) and then win the SEC title game in Atlanta if it hopes to maintain its official dominance. Florida, LSU and Alabama have combined to win the last four BCS national title games. A loss to Alabama would not only keep the SEC out of the BCS title clash, it would only strengthen Boise State's argument that an undefeated Broncos team belongs in there.
The outcome of this bitter instate rivalry will hinge in large part on how Newton performs against the Tide's solid defense. The 6-6, 250-pound Newton, who is the first player in SEC history to pass for more than 2,000 yards and rush for more than 1,000, has been the most dynamic player in college football this year and, barring an NCAA intervention, is a deserving candidate to win the Heisman Trophy.
Newton has also been the most scrutinized player ever since allegations arose that his father, Cecil, asked for $180,000 for his son to attend Mississippi State. Cam Newton has not spoken with the media since Nov. 9, and coach Gene Chizik has refused to discuss his player's off-the-field issues, preferring to play him and gamble the NCAA will not discover a money trail that could send the Tigers' season off a cliff.
As long as Newton remains in uniform, anything seems possible. Influential former Auburn coach Pat Dye, who coached the immortal Bo Jackson, has called Newton "the best player I've ever seen."
Newton has been seemingly unflappable in the eye of the storm, last week rushing for 151 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries while passing for 148 and two more scores in a 49-31 victory over Georgia. He has rushed for more 150 yards five times this season.
Previous Page 12 Next Page
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS
(Home Team in CAPS)
DICK WEISS
MIGHTY QUINN
THE ECK MAN
BOISE STATE
14
Nevada
Boise St.
Boise St.
Nevada
Texas A&M
3
TEXAS
Tx. A&M
Tx. A&M
Tx. A&M
PITTSBURGH
3
W. Virginia
Pittsburgh
West Va.
Pittsburgh
Louisville
3
RUTGERS
Louisville
Louisville
Louisville
ALABAMA
4½
Auburn
Auburn
Alabama
Auburn
NEBRASKA
17½
Colorado
Colorado
Nebraska
Colorado
OHIO STATE
17
Michigan
Ohio State
Ohio State
Ohio State
FLORIDA ST.
2½
Florida
Florida
Florida
Florida
TENNESSEE
3
Kentucky
Tennessee
Kentucky
Tennessee
SYRACUSE
3
Boston College
Bos. Coll.
Bos. Coll.
Bos. Coll.
Missouri
25
Kansas
Missouri
Missouri
Kansas
ARKANSAS
3½
Lsu
Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas
Last Week
5-4-1
7-2-1
3-6-1
Best Bet
63-60-6
68-55-6
64-59-6
Overall
5-6-1
10-2
7-5
BOLD - BEST BET
Read more: Sport
No comments:
Post a Comment