The stats never favored the Oregon Ducks Monday night in the 2010 national championship game.
One of the most prominent stats built a barrier in front of the Ducks a month before the game was even played. After that, the odds kept falling further from their favor.
The Southeastern Conference is known for its dominant national performance. In the 12 years there has been a BCS national championship, the SEC has won every year it’s boasted a team. Of the 12 years, the SEC has won seven, and now five in a row with Auburn’s victory.
Oregon, from the Pac-10, didn’t look like the favorite in the game.
Then, once the clock started ticking, I was hoping more than anything that Auburn would score first. Since 2002, seven of the nine teams (including Oregon) who have scored first lost the game. The only two exceptions were in 2003 and 2008, and both teams were from the SEC.
As we all know, Oregon scored first. And in the worst possible way. If you’re going to score first and doom yourself, at least make it a touchdown. But it was only a field goal. Disappointing.
The third stat that sealed the game was that Auburn went into halftime leading. The stats on that? 11-0. Sorry, now 12-0. In the BCS’s short history, the team that wins the game is leading at halftime. Auburn was up by 5, and that’s honestly when I gave up hope.
Even realizing that Alabama wasn’t going to win No. 14 this year wasn’t the worst part. The worst part was realizing it would be Auburn to take the Crimson Tide’s throne. The biggest rivals college football has ever known won back-to-back national championships.
It’s also the first time for two schools from the same state to win the championship back to back. Let’s also throw in that both teams had the Heisman Trophy winner. It’s making history, sure, but it’s the kind of record I had hoped to avoid.
Miami and Florida State came close to this record, but there was a year in between their victories. And more likely than not, this feat won’t be repeated again.
This feat will be showcased by the few people in this state who are proud of it. But really, which side would actually be proud of such a record? The Alabama faithful and the Auburn faithful don’t share glory. It’s a terrible coincidence that each team won college football’s highest honor back to back.
And thank goodness the 2010 football season is over. With the close of the college football season Monday night, the rest of the world can move on. Auburn has had its day, but come next August, it’ll be Alabama’s turn to take back the state again.
