It may be the day after the third and fourth of four Wild Card football games, but this Monday Night is not free of action on the gridiron. Tonight is the long-awaited BCS National Championship Game, which is set to be played between two undefeated teams, the #1 Auburn Tigers, and the #2 Oregon Ducks.
Auburn was ranked #22 at the beginning of the season, but quickly rose through the prominent SEC ranks, making a big statement in their last two games by beating Alabama soundly in the annual Iron Bowl, then crushing South Carolina in the SEC Championship Game. And all their energy and ability is centered around one Cam Newton, a superb dual-threat quarterback with a newly-minted Heisman Trophy on his mantle. Via passing and running, Newton was a part of 48 touchdowns this season, most in the league.
Opposing Auburn are the Ducks, who opened the season with a bang by beating the University of New Mexico 72-0 and two weeks later walloped Portland State 69-0. Including those two monster blowouts, they topped 50 points six times this year, doing so against recent Orange Bowl winner Stanford and against USC. Their super-potent offense is led by sophomore quarterback Darron Thomas and fellow sophomore (and Heisman Trophy candidate) running back LaMichael James.
With the exception of my aunt, who is an all-Sec, all-the-time, voter, everyone I've talked to wants to see Oregon win, thanks to the SEC's recent dominance (this would be the fifth straight national championship out of that hallowed conference). Kickoff is set for just past 8:30.
Well, that was one round of NFL playoffs. There were key turnovers, hero moments, a shocking upset, star turns from guys named Hasselbeck, Flacco, and Lewis and last-minute field goals. Just imagine another week of four playoff games, two on Saturday and two on Sunday, both AFC matchups (Pittsburgh-Baltimore in Pitt and Jets-Patriots in New England) rivalries that were played out twice during the regular season (with 1-1 records), but add to that your Brian Urlacher, Julius Peppers, Jay Cutler and Devin Hester, add Matty Ice and Michael Turner, don't forget two-time recent Super Bowl winners "Big Ben" Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu, Heinz Ward and James Harrison. Oh, and some guy named Brady. This week should be fun.
This past week, we had The Upset (7-9 Seahawks over 11-5, defending-Super Bowl champion Saints) with The Big Run (67 yards for TD by Marshawn Lynch) and The Big Stiff-Arm (Lynch, drilling Tracy Porter), The Blowout (Baltimore's 30-7 mauling of the Kansas City Chiefs; they forced five turnovers and scored 23 unanswered points after the first quarter), The Barely-There Win (Jets beating Peyton's Colts 17-16 on a last-second Nick Folk field goal), and The Low Key War of Wills (Packers beating the Philadelphia Phillies and star Michael Vick).
Things you have to know about from week one? Lynch's 67-yard touchdown (breaking six tackles and clocking Porter), Tramon Williams' sensational leaping catch of the final, game-losing interception by Vick, Manning only threw one touchdown, and it was in the first quarter, and the Ravens won while playing under the shadow of safety Ed Reed's brother, who is the current target of a missing-person search and is believed dead.
Saturday at 4:30 is the Ravens-Steelers match-up, which will be much ado about in my house (my entire family lives in Baltimore), at 7:30 is the Falcons-Packers showdown, 1:00 Sunday is the starting time for Chicago-Seattle, and the Patriots look to move toward yet another Super Bowl against the Jets at 4:30 that same Sunday.
Should be fun, but don't overlook tonight's big college game. I've really enjoyed watching college ball this year and I'm sorry to see it go to sleep for the spring and summer.
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