There seems to be a consensus from people that I've spoken to IRL that Auburn is going to roll in this game. I can't tell if it is SEC bias because of the area or that folks believe that Auburn is just that good. Either way, I don't see it.

Oregon has the speed all over the field to compete with Auburn on both sides of the ball. The Duck defense is getting no love whatsoever nationally and IMO it's not a given that Newton is going to get off on them. I think Oregon comes out with some new wrinkles in that read option offense and gets a couple big plays that end up being the difference.

My official prediction is a close game that is a much lower score than the pundits are predicting.

Oregon 24
Auburn 20

1/3/2011 9:33:22 AM

GO

!

1/3/2011 9:34:18 AM

its not an official thread

1/3/2011 9:38:10 AM

go auburns!

your uniforms are much more not very flamboyant so you must succeed

1/3/2011 9:41:00 AM

Here are some pics of Oregon's new uni they will wear in the game




[Edited on January 3, 2011 at 9:44 AM. Reason : http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindducksbeat/2010/12/bcs_national_championship_nike.html]

1/3/2011 9:41:34 AM

I wonder if Oregon will get flagged like Ohio State did for flashing the O after a score.

1/3/2011 9:45:24 AM

Cam Newton wills the Tigers to victory.

1/3/2011 9:53:26 AM

I will not be tuning into the Bullshit Computer Series "national title" game.

1/3/2011 11:09:10 AM

ducks roll

1/3/2011 1:06:07 PM

1/3/2011 1:25:17 PM

am i the only one surprised this is on espn and not abc? i realize a large portion of the market these days has (at least) basic cable or satellite, but to not have it on a major network must speak to the interest in this game.

1/3/2011 1:29:14 PM

Auburn wins & covers

1/3/2011 1:34:52 PM

^^ I thought that starting this year ESPN was going to be playing the BCS title game through like 2015 or something? (Meaning it would have been on ESPN regardless of who played)

[Edited on January 3, 2011 at 1:51 PM. Reason : .]

1/3/2011 1:43:21 PM

ESPN has all the BCS games now

1/3/2011 1:44:56 PM

shit, my VCR only records network television

1/3/2011 1:46:18 PM

It actually speaks volumes about how much power and cash espn has. Note that espn purchased the rights not abc/Disney. This game couldn't have been played on abc.

1/3/2011 5:31:05 PM

I'll be there.

War damn eagle!

1/3/2011 8:02:31 PM

^ Awesome

Attending a national championship game is definitely on my list of things to do before I die.

1/3/2011 8:05:19 PM

I think (and hope) Oregon will win this game. I really like Cam Newton, but he really is carrying the entire offense on his back. I think he will have a good game, but Oregon's fast-paced offense will wear down Auburn's defense, while Oregon's underrated defense makes enough timely stops to give the Ducks a win by 10+ points.

1/3/2011 8:12:48 PM

^^well I'm in grad school at Auburn so I have even more incentive. Figured its a once in a lifetime opportunity plus I love Phoenix.

[Edited on January 3, 2011 at 8:14 PM. Reason : ^]

1/3/2011 8:13:37 PM

I just don't see Oregon's defense having enough size to actually stop Auburn. I guess we'll find out soon enough.

1/4/2011 12:20:01 AM

I think Oregon will win, but really could care less won wins. My cousin and her husband are Auburn grads and are playing $texas to go to the game. Normally I'd root for the SEC in a game like this, but considering that Auburn is a bunch of dirty cheating ass clowns, I'd rather pull for the Nike Ducks.

1/5/2011 12:26:34 PM

Quack Quack Quack Mr. Ducksworth!

1/5/2011 1:11:16 PM

Quote :

"while Oregon's underrated defense makes enough timely stops to give the Ducks a win by 10+ points."

They won't be able to make a lot of stops...but they will have to be able to force some timely turnovers in order to win (turnovers are basically stops, but that's not what people usually mean).

Oregon has an opportunistic defense...and it will have to continue that for them to have a chance.

1/5/2011 1:24:57 PM

I guess I'll brig up another dumb problem that only I have with the current system.

It's really hard to say what a team will do in these bowl games because there's a 4 to 6 week gap between their last game and the bowl game. I kind of feel like the teams aren't coming back in the same form as they would have been had the gap only been a week or two.

Small gap - the teams are coming back in their prime. Huge gap - they're back to working out kinks and working off the rust from not having played in a truly competitive game for a while.

I figure that's one of the reasons why the NFL has preseason games and why big time college programs usually schedule the cupcakes up front. To work out all the kinks so they are up and running by the time the important games start up.

A whole month is just too long. Of course there's a way a team could play a championship game in early January and still have a few more scheduled games between their last regular season game and the championship... if only.

Meh. Maybe 4 weeks isn't enough to "forget" stuff or get soft.



[Edited on January 5, 2011 at 1:47 PM. Reason : -]

1/5/2011 1:44:27 PM

Chizik on JRIB earlier said everyone would be uniform Monday and there were no academic casualties as had been earlier reported.

1/5/2011 5:45:35 PM

^^ Its a huge problem, and big reason why the first half of BCS game are often clusterfucks

1/5/2011 6:41:42 PM

I bet Wisconsin would have rolled TCU had there only been a week or two between the end of the regular season and their bowl game.

1/5/2011 6:46:19 PM

Quote :

"It actually speaks volumes about how much power and cash espn has. Note that espn purchased the rights not abc/Disney. This game couldn't have been played on abc."

It could still be on ABC if ESPN wanted, Disney owns ESPN as well.

1/5/2011 8:09:02 PM

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/bowls10/news/story?id=5991593

over/under on number of camera appearances by cecil newton? i'm thinking it'll be worse than brady quinn's sister/aj hawk's girlfriend

1/6/2011 1:44:26 PM

might approach the Manning suite camera magnet levels

1/6/2011 1:45:53 PM

I see no way at all that Oregon wins this game

1/6/2011 2:00:37 PM

WDE

1/6/2011 4:00:57 PM

Quote :

"am i the only one surprised this is on espn and not abc? i realize a large portion of the market these days has (at least) basic cable or satellite, but to not have it on a major network must speak to the interest in this game. "

You think they worked out the TV rights a month ago?

1/6/2011 4:49:21 PM

If it was TCU vs Boise for the National Title, it would only be streamed on espn3.com

1/6/2011 4:56:37 PM

The Ducks are fast. Should be a good game. Auburn almost lost to Clemson?? I am hoping for a good game, think it will be.

1/6/2011 8:38:00 PM

Oregon almost lost to Cal??

1/6/2011 8:39:57 PM

^5

their best chance is shutting down the run game and forcing passes and praying for picks

1/6/2011 8:42:00 PM

As game time approaches, I'm hearing more and more pro Oregon arguments in the media.

It's about time they raise up off Newton's nuts for one second and give the Ducks some love.

1/10/2011 12:50:34 PM

WOO WOO GO DUCKS

1/10/2011 12:58:38 PM

im just looking forward to all the bizarre signs that the oregon 2nd string qb will be holding up to for calling in plays

1/10/2011 1:07:45 PM

Rome is hoping to land on one of them for tonite's game

1/10/2011 1:15:52 PM

will be watching

1/10/2011 1:21:11 PM

34-27 ducks

can't wait

1/10/2011 1:28:22 PM

Auburn will run the ball a lot more, and be a lot less Cam-centric than Oregon expects. I'm guessing 31-27 Auburn.

1/10/2011 1:54:49 PM

33-27 Ducks!

1/10/2011 2:00:00 PM

Auburn is an NFL squad. Ducks are a gimmicky PAC-10 team.

Auburn rolls 50-something to 20-something

1/10/2011 2:16:44 PM

27-20 Oregon.

fuck auburn. it'll be hilarious to see the SEC gets their ass handed to them here.

[Edited on January 10, 2011 at 2:17 PM. Reason : ]

1/10/2011 2:17:20 PM

i don't expect oregon to win, but it would be pretty awesome.

1/10/2011 2:25:00 PM

Duqx

1/10/2011 2:42:28 PM