Admittingly, I kept peeking over at USCe-Arky to get some oxygen because at least that game featured touchdowns. I really wanted either LSU or Alabama to score a safety to really liven things up with that one point differential but I guess the football gods (or CBS management) destined it for overtime. A 9-6 victory on penalty kicks is the football equivalent of paper covers rock--you're not really quite sure how that wins but it's accepted that it does. In a monumental defensive showdown like we saw, it really makes you feel homesick for the TIE game.

We knew one of the two would be left as a one-time loser. If you thought that Oklahoma was a media darling ( I do) and was the top pick for a one-loss team in the country to be elevated into the BCS CG, you hadn't seen anything until Alabama plummeted one whole spot in the BCS standings Sunday night from second to third. Now before you nod or shake your head on that last statement, know that #4 Stanford, currently the most aggrieved party, fully controls it's ranking against a one-loss team with a victory over Oregon this weekend and presumably one in the PAC12 CG. Same with #2 Oklahoma State. They play Oklahoma in three weeks and winning out should be enough to stave off a one-loss team in the standings.

The problem with Stanford and Okie State running the table is which team would then take the #2 spot in the BCS assuming LSU remains undefeated? If Stanford plays 13 games and survives their conference title game, then I think you have to give them the edge over the Pokes who no longer have that luxury enjoyed now by the rest of the BCS conferences (save the Big East). As we in the SEC have known for quite a while, the title game trial by fire is the extra oomph you need to vault over the pretenders and the anachronistic non-divisional players.

Where the problem in the BCS scenario will come is if we have a large contingent of one-loss teams left at the end of the year. Then, when you lose is as important as who you lost to. I'm old school. I think losses later in the season should be death knells, but as we've seen in the BCS era as people have put more validity into the hands of both the polls and the computers, that's no longer the case. In 2003, Oklahoma lost the Big 12 CG to Kansas State but then went on to play LSU for the BCS crown (which resulted in a split champion that year with USC winning the AP title). In 2007, LSU lost their last regular game of the season to Arkansas, their second loss, but still advanced to and won the BCS title.

I think it's entirely possible that LSU could lose to Arkansas this year. Petrino and Tyler Wilson will challenge the vaunted Tiger secondary and I think it'll be a close contest. But forget that for a second. Let's assume for simplicity that LSU wins out and is the #1 team in the BCS. The looming problem I have was revealed in all the talk this weekend about somehow elevating Alabama back to #2 and having the conference provide both national title game participants in a rematch from this past Saturday. I think it's a horrible idea but it's entirely possible with the right teams losing the right games.

Although fans of SEC teams might seriously question why it's a bad idea to have two teams from the conference play for all the marbles, I have fundamental problems with it. Allow me to present my case. First, the practical. Rematches are rarely the barn-burners they're made out to be. Harken back to the Alabama-Florida SEC title games of the 1990s. Many of those were rematches, and they seemed anti-climatic because the teams weren't natural rivals. Was there any doubt that Auburn would stomp South Carolina in the rematch last year? It was more or less a formality since the game had to be played and Auburn needed it's ticket to Glendale punched. The Gamecocks, as if on cue, simply mailed it in.

Jealousy from the rest of the nation is a real hazard to avoid. It's universally known that the SEC fields the toughest football conference in the land. It's virtually guaranteed now that our champion gets a slot in the national title game. Our second best team still gets a BCS bowl bid. They wrote the rule capping conferences from fielding more than two BCS bowl teams primarily because of us. We send six to seven teams to bowls anyway. Let's not rub it in and try to lobby to get a rerun of a regular season game to decide the national crown. Leave that to 2006 Michigan. That's being stingy and it will breed resentment. Don't think there's resentment in college football? Look at what Texas accomplished in less than one year. They BLEW UP college football, from greed and the ensuing resentment. We the SEC don't want to pull a Texas.

For the fundamental side, most readers in the blogosphere are pro-playoff for our sport. While the details of an eventual one are melded out, the de facto first rounds of a playoff are the conference championship games. For 20 years our very conference has led the nation in advancing that protocol. We believe that the SEC champ is capable of beating anyone in the country. So now does the rest of the nation. Therefore it is not unreasonable to expect that any team that isn't capable of winning it's own conference is not worthy of playing for the national crown. It just doesn't make sense to fair-minded folks.

Yes, I know the purpose of the BCS is to marry the one and two teams in a bowl game regardless of where the chips fall, but we need to change the dialogue in the game to get away from that notion. Specifically outlaw it if you must. If you want a playoff, having the current BCS placing two teams from the same conference reaks of cronyism and will poison not only future playoff plans, but the very validity of the BCS as it stands today.

And most importantly, for the SEC, it would toxically dilute the very product and brand that it works so hard to field every year and make the strongest in the land. It took many years and a whole bunch of blood, sweat and Bourbon, but the SEC got the whole country convinced that their champ is a lock for the national title game. Don't allow the BCS to damage that image by alllowing you to hog the whole trough. Yea, I know--it would be hard to turn it down. Maybe it'll play out in the end and we won't be faced with this scenario. But if we are, know that it's a road we don't want to go down.

I'm an Auburn homer. I think they'll win every game. I refuse to think otherwise, so if that colors me slightly biased, I'm open about admitting it. I'll also admit that I'm probably not the most reliable go-to guy for betting information involving an Auburn team for the same reason. I picked Auburn to win every game last year. As it was, I just happened to be right, which really bolsters my confidence going into this year.  I did miss five games in 2009 however, but I'm still right most of the time.

That being so, I'm still not usually one to make predictions involving Auburn until the very last minute when I'm forced to do it. However, with the other teams in the conference, I have no such reservations, and with the preseason Coaches Poll out last week soon to be followed by the AP poll, I figure why not cast out my predictions for the out-of-conference (OOC) games of interest that are not standing rivalry games?

Usually crucified for their OOC scheduling, the SEC in recent years has made a consistent effort to take on more BCS teams that we don't play that often--many from outside the south. Bolstered by the addition of one-and-done contests like the Chick Fil A Kickoff Game and the Cowboys Classic, college football itself is making it easier to lure together more attractive non-traditional opponents due to the high national exposure and payouts. Just this year, the SEC showcases three strong opening weekend games: LSU-Oregon in Dallas, Georgia-Boise State in Atlanta, and Ole Miss-BYU in Oxford.

While I said last year that Vanderbilt had the toughest OOC schedule, there's little doubt that LSU wears that crown this year with the opener against Oregon in Dallas and at West Virginia on September 24th. Vandy still has a tough slate with UConn, Army and Wake Forest. And while I generally almost always root for SEC teams in OOC games, I don't think we're going to win them all this year. Here's the Top 10 contests:

Sept 3rd: LSU and Oregon: How does it get better than this? The 3rd and 4th ranked teams in the pre-season, Oregon coming off the narrow national championship game loss and LSU from an 11-2 season and Cotton Bowl beat-down of Texas A&M. It's so hard to start the season without any tune-up contest and immediately play national-caliber competition. A win can propel a team on to great things like Alabama did in 2008 after clobbering Clemson in the Chick Fil A Kickoff Game, or for the reverse, see Clemson's fortunes that very same year. Oregon returns many of their starters as does LSU, but with the loss to Auburn still fresh on their minds and the Tiger's QB fortunes still unproven in my mind, I think Oregon edges this one out in yet another slow motion fashion for the Ducks, 17-14.

Sept 3rd: Georgia and Boise State: After playing with a major chip on their shoulders the last two seasons, going undefeated in 2009 and losing late to Nevada last year to see any hopes of BCS and national championship glory go down the drain, the Broncos come into the Georgia Dome once again looking for national respect--this time in an early season game against a BCS opponent rather than in a bowl game. None on this team were around the last time Boise played in the state of Georgia, a 48-13 drubbing by the very same Dogs in Athens in 2005, but we're sure it'll still be on their minds. Mark Richt and Georgia come into the season hungry to reestablish themselves as contenders in the SEC east and a solid victory over Boise will put them on the right path. Dogs win in a surprisingly hard-fought match, 28-24.

Sept 3rd: BYU at Ole Miss: The newly independent Cougars can have all the SEC scheduling they can handle now that they're leaving the Mountain West after arch-rival Utah got the invite to the PAC 12. BYU has only played SEC teams four previous times, winning only one game--in Provo against Mississippi State. While the Rebels are predicted to compete for last place in the SEC west along with Auburn by all the pundits, conference pride will be on the line. But BYU has much to prove in their new play em anywhere, anytime roll and comes away with a close win 31-27.

Sept 10th: Alabama at Penn State: Predicted to challenge for the national championship this year, The Tide probably circled this game first on their calendar as the necessary hurdle in the early season to clear for a run at the top. With JoPa suffering yet another major physical injury during practice this weekend, and being an empty suit on the sidelines for much of the past few years, you wonder how much fight the Nittany Lions will have in them when the Tide rolls in. There is a lot of respect in this rivalry going back to the great Sugar Bowl games of the 1970s but Alabama rolls big on the road 34-17.

Sept 10th: UConn at Vandy: Coming off their second Big East title in four seasons and subsequent punishing at the hands of Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, the Huskies had many people questioning whether the Big East was truly a BCS conference at all anymore. But that was last year and we are talking Vandy. The Dores make a valiant effort but the basketball-traditional Huskies rebound and beat a SEC team at their house 38-13.

Sept 17th: Auburn at Clemson: If there ever was a team that wanted the Auburn monkey off their backs it's Clemson, who haven't beaten their ancient Tiger rivals in sixty years. While taking Auburn to the wire in overtime in 2010 in a game they should have won, many think the Tiger Paws will have their day in Death Valley this year. Not to be so, as Auburn extends their misery for yet another year, 34-28, as the two will meet for the third consecutive year in 2012 in the Chick Fil A Kickoff Game in Atlanta. See you in Hartwell.

Sept 17th: Navy at South Carolina: The Palmetto state will see two fine contests involving their two native sons on this weekend as Navy plays in Columbia. While nobody doubts that Navy will run the ball and have some success against the Gamecocks, there will probably be little the Midshipmen can do to stop the hungry chickens from crowing atop the yard-arm. SC rolls 42-17.

Sept 24th: LSU at West Virginia: After the off-season firing of HC Bill Stewart and the subsequent turmoil within the program that it produced, coupled with the fact that the Mountaineers only really field a high-caliber team about every twenty years or so, further coupled with a possible opening season loss by the Tigers to Oregon, I think the Purple Tigers roll through Morgantown in a fury, 38-13. Chance of couch burning: HIGH. Keep scheduling SEC teams, West Virginia. We might eye you one day in a future mega-conference power expansion grab. You've got too much pluck to be in the damn ACC.

Oct 1st: Texas A&M at Arkansas: You would think that the Aggies will be fired up for another shot at an SEC team after losing to both the Hawgs last year in College Station and to LSU in the Cotton Bowl, but Arky will be waiting as well for a shot at their old rivals and wins this big, 45-24. A&M should keep hedging their bets and scheduling SEC teams to keep their name fresh in our minds should you finally bolt from the remnants of the Big 12 to be drafted by us.

Oct 22: Army at Vanderbilt: The Gold Dome Bowl. Don't squint while watching this one or you might not be able to figure out which team is which. I think Vandy should schedule at least one of the service academies each year just for the uniform confusion alone. The Commodores pull rank on the Cadets 24-16, making 2/3rds of the academies 0-2 against our conference this year.

Not many people heard Friday that the NCAA had placed Georgia Tech's football program on probation. Even fewer knew that they were being investigated at all. A 20-month long investigation starting from late in the 2009 season culminated in the program being placed on four years' probation, the vacation of the 2009 ACC title and a $100,000 fine--for improper benefits from a possible agent to two players, and more likely, Tech's purported hindrance of the investigation. Heard that same story recently about a program out of Ohio?

The players, Morgan Burnett and Demaryius Thomas, allegedly received around $300 in clothes and a cell phone  from a former Tech player who might have been acting to steer the two to an agent once they went pro--which they did at the end of the season. So, hit a program that hard over a few hundred bucks worth of benefits? That seems rather harsh, but it goes deeper than that. Initially, the NCAA was to come down and interview Burnett, and the only people that were to know about it was the Tech president, the compliance officer, and AD Dan Radakovich, who promptly informed coach Paul Johnson.

Johnson then questioned Burnett on his own, who denied any wrongdoing. Then all four school officials met with Burnett, in defiance of the NCAA's request for him to not be informed of the looming interview. The NCAA enforcement officer did come down and conduct the interview but discovered that Burnett had been prepped beforehand. Apparently the NCAA has the intention of getting more honest answers in an ambush-type interview process and was peeved that Tech had let the cat out of the bag. For me, while understanding that the NCAA has a difficult job to do, I'm a little uneasy about any individual being questioned in a matter that precludes a prior notification or the lack of representation. Kinda seems un-American.

That interview with Burnett then led to the discovery of possible improper benefits to Thomas. The NCAA notified Tech that both players should be declared ineligible and that the subsequent playing of them would have to be justified. Both kept playing through the end of season loss to Georgia, the ACC championship game and the Orange Bowl loss to Iowa. In that scenario, it seems that Georgia Tech might have been thumbing their nose to Indianapolis, and is probably the reason for the harsh penalties over what should have been minor violations. But as is in a lot of these cases, it's the cover-up that worse than the underlying crime.

The NCAA definitely felt that they couldn't prove the agent relationship regarding Burnett that could have led to even harsher sanctions because Tech had prepped him prior. That defiance has brought them significant penalties that are far-reaching for not just Tech and the ACC, but for college football itself. Already, you've seen the signs that Indianapolis is ready to go on the warpath, and you better come clean or you just might get scalped--and we're not talking tickets. Make no mistake, the NCAA is out to re-assert itself as the law of the land. Meet the new boss. Maybe not the same as the old boss.

Also last week, Ohio State went ahead and vacated all twelve victories from 2010 in an effort to stave off upcoming penalties from the NCAA--this on top of already forcing HC Jim Tressel out. Just how hard is the NCAA throwing punches these days that a program like OSU goes ahead and just vacates a 12-1 season? Wouldn't that be the capital offense that most schools would prefer to roll the dice on, hoping for an aquittal (or a hung jury) rather than cop a plea up front? Clearly those in Columbus see a freight train coming and vacating all your victories as the opening negotiation tactic is the poker equivalent of 'all in'. Now where have I heard that phrase recently?

And come on now, can it be mere coincidence with the leak last week of Auburn HC Gene Chizik's exchange with a NCAA compliance officer about when the Cam Newton investigation was to be concluded? While the harsh answer, "You'll know when we're finished and we're not finished.", was totally candid, the subsequent resounding message it sent couldn't have been better scripted.

Although Auburn detractors still eagerly await the smoking gun in that case, nothing new has been made aware in months, yet the investigation is going to remain open. Everybody knows that. Sometimes it takes months or years for information to come to light, and even if the NCAA does officially close it, don't think for a minute that it wouldn't be reopened immediately if new evidence surfaced. Why Chizik chose to air his concerns to that official in that environment is known to few, but the rebuffing he received is known to the whole country. While I would never believe that coach Chizik would lob one over the net for the NCAA to spike back down, the assertiveness shown by this official is the kind of publicity Indianapolis couldn't buy for their new get tough campaign. Meet the new NCAA enforcement division. They had quite the week.

With infractions popping up everywhere and the pressure on big-time programs to produce as high as ever, the job of the NCAA keeps getting harder. The last thing they can tolerate is for programs to openly defy the rules and impede the investigations. They're going to start hitting the guilty programs harder than they've ever been hit before, as a lesson to the others. Deterence is one of the last weapons they have left to wield. And with the recent cases of Georgia Tech and Ohio State, I think the NCAA is stating a pretty good case of their intentions.

With the final appeal by USC against sanctions resulting from the Reggie Bush Incident (RBI) denied by the NCAA on May 27th, the BCS came out today and stripped USC of their 2004 national championship. Duh, some of you might say, this happened over a year ago. Actually, it didn't. After sanctions were handed down last June, USC mounted an appeal of the case, one which took almost a year to complete. Initially, the BCS remained mum on the subject as they were content to allow the appeals process to run it's due course. The AP Poll said that regardless, USC was their champion and that they would not revote. Only the Football Writers Association of America, arguably the 3rd highest ranking MNC selector, opted to immediately vacate USC's crown they had awarded for that year.

"The BCS arrangement crowns a national champion, and the BCS games are showcase events for postseason football," BCS executive director Bill Hancock said in a statement. "One of the best ways of ensuring that they remain so is for us to foster full compliance with NCAA rules. Accordingly, in keeping with the NCAA's recent action, USC's appearances are being vacated.

So where does that leave us now? The BCS has elected to have the 2004 national championship remain as vacant as Detroit real estate, as has the FWAA, and the AP still lists USC as their champ. All of this makes things about as awkward as Father's day at the Schwarzenegger house.

I KNOW I said I'd never bring the subject up again, because my opinion on the matter has been known for many years and many of you think I talk about it ad naseum. But the fact of the matter is this: given the tremendous ambiguity of MNCs in CFB in the past, a national championship in FBS is simply too big a void not to be filled. Who cares about the BCS and the AP? Their are 30 something different selectors in a given year and other teams got some votes. Even Miss America has a runner-up. Why the hell not?

It was two weeks ago during Florida's spring game that statues commemorating their trio of Heisman Trophy winners were revealed outside Florida Field. Spurrier, Wuerffel and Tebow, their likenesses cast in bronze, were shown in action poses for the first team in the SEC to have three such winners. No sooner can I get to writing a prediction that Auburn, the second team in the SEC to accomplish the same feat, would soon follow in suit to erect some bronze figures outside Jordan-Hare, but they preempt me and announce on Thursday the Heisman trifecta collection--complete with a bust of John Heisman. Why Heisman? Because Auburn is the only school thus far where Heisman coached to have won the namesake trophy.

Naturally, the comparison of Auburn's Heisman triplets with the timing of Florida's would be the more apt choice, but with so much tension in the state following Auburn's MNC, many decided instead that Auburn was just again copying Alabama. That's right. With no apparent heritage of it's own, Auburn looked to mimic Alabama's decision (made over a year ago) to erect a statue of Nick Saban in bronze outside BDS for winning the 2009 national championship, which was just recently revealed during the Tide's spring game this past weekend. Saban joins on the Walk of Champions such legendary Alabama figures as Wallace Wade, Frank Thomas, Bear Bryant, Gene Stallings and that sports information guy who added all those national championships to the media guide 30 years ago.

Nice touch, by the way, Alabama. Your Walk of Champions is a classy display of Tide glory--I do truly mean that. And although no writer in the state would ever question the timing of erecting a statue to a sitting coach like they might if Auburn did , a nine-foot Saban statue is fitting indeed. I just hate that the sculptor used Sheriff Andy Taylor as a model instead of ole Nick.

From Auburn Sports Information...

AUBURN -- To little surprise, Auburn junior quarterback Cam Newton will forgo his senior season and make himself eligible for the 2011 National Football League Draft.

The 2010 Heisman Trophy winner, Newton helped lead Auburn to a perfect 14-0 record and the BCS National Championship. He rushed for 1,473 yards and 20 touchdowns while passing for 2,854 yards and 30 scores.

"This decision was difficult for me and my family," Newton said. "After talking to Coach Chizik and Coach Malzahn, I think it is best that I make that next step in my career and forgo my senior season and enter the NFL Draft. It was a very hard decision for me, especially after coming off the great season we had at Auburn. I'm blessed to have been around an excellent environment and have great teammates, coaches and support from the Auburn family.

"It's been a blessing for me to be a part of something so great," Newton said. "Any time you win games it's a big deal, but for this school to win a BCS National Championship, what a way to make people happy. Auburn is a special place that I can call home."

Newton broke numerous Auburn single-season records, including rushing touchdowns (20), passing touchdowns (30), touchdowns responsible for (51), total offense (4,327) and rushing yards by a quarterback (1,473).

"We appreciate Cameron's many contributions to Auburn and the outstanding leader that he was for our football team," Auburn head coach Gene Chizik said. "He had one of the greatest individual seasons ever by an Auburn player and was a key part of our championship run. Cam will always be a member of the Auburn family and we wish him the best in his future endeavors."

So now the rest of the SEC can rest easy and breathe a big sigh of relief. The rest of the country can too, for that matter.

So who else is coming and going? Sound off for your team.

USA Today Poll

RK TEAM RECORD PTS
1 Auburn (56) 14-0 1424
2 TCU (1) 13-0 1336
3 Oregon 12-1 1333
4 Stanford 12-1 1254
5 Ohio State 12-1 1197
6 Oklahoma 12-2 1096
7 Boise State 12-1 1012
8 LSU 11-2 1007
8 Wisconsin 11-2 1007
10 Oklahoma State 11-2 883
11 Alabama 10-3 860
12 Arkansas 10-3 818
13 Nevada 13-1 734
14 Michigan State 11-2 676
15 Virginia Tech 11-3 636
16 Florida State 10-4 506
17 Mississippi State 9-4 505
18 Missouri 10-3 473
19 Nebraska 10-4 354
20 UCF 11-3 328
21 Texas A&M 9-4 277
22 South Carolina 9-5 181
23 Utah 10-3 156
24 Maryland 9-4 111
25 North Carolina State 9-4 94

Others receiving votes: Northern Illinois 82, Tulsa 41, San Diego State 36, West Virginia 35, Iowa 31, Miami (OH) 13, Florida 10, Connecticut 7, Air Force 4, Hawaii 4, Notre Dame 3, Washington 1

AP Top 25

RK TEAM RECORD PTS
1 Auburn (56) 14-0 1472
2 TCU (3) 13-0 1392
3 Oregon 12-1 1379
4 Stanford 12-1 1300
5 Ohio State 12-1 1220
6 Oklahoma 12-2 1108
7 Wisconsin 11-2 1055
8 LSU 11-2 1051
9 Boise State 12-1 1031
10 Alabama 10-3 961
11 Nevada 13-1 866
12 Arkansas 10-3 863
13 Oklahoma State 11-2 833
14 Michigan State 11-2 696
15 Mississippi State 9-4 578
16 Virginia Tech 11-3 577
17 Florida State 10-4 502
18 Missouri 10-3 477
19 Texas A&M 9-4 359
20 Nebraska 10-4 334
21 UCF 11-3 225
22 South Carolina 9-5 169
23 Maryland 9-4 144
24 Tulsa 10-3 128
25 North Carolina State 9-4 119

Others receiving votes: Utah 98, Iowa 54, San Diego State 52, Northern Illinois 47, Miami (OH) 21, Florida 19, West Virginia 16, Notre Dame 9, Connecticut 8, Air Force 5, Navy 3, Hawaii 2, Brigham Young 1, Eastern Washington 1

Monday's game looms large between Oregon and Auburn, a refreshing change in the usual fair of BCS title games. A battle between two high powered offenses, the winner may finally buck conventional wisdom about defense winning championships. This is easily the biggest game in each program's history as Oregon has never won a national title and Auburn's only one was the 1957 AP crown.

Ticket prices and interest in this game are at maximum levels and folks here in the east who want to get out there better get a move-on as a massive blizzard is threatening the south Sunday night and Monday, which will delay and cancel flights across the region. Wouldn't it be a shame to be holding a few grand worth of tickets in your hand and have no way to get westward?

For Auburn, winning the national title would be sweet, but the icing for most Tiger fans would be that they did it right after Alabama's from last year. "We see your Heisman trophy winner and national championship and raise you for next year." An Auburn victory would make it the first time in modern CFB history that teams from the same state won back to back legitimate crowns. There can be no doubt that the state of Alabama takes football more serious than any other.

And in true Alabama fashion, if Auburn wins the crystal football, they already have a Wal Mart picked out in which to display it.

So let's hear your predictions for the game--winner, over/under on points and MVP.

For me, I'm taking Auburn by 7, with the over/under surprisingly low at 55, and Cam Newton with the MVP. Auburn will win because we can absorb any blows Oregon can throw early. We're going to trade scores right with them if necessary. The spectre of the big, bad SEC boogey-man, winners of the last five of seven BCS crowns, could be looming large in the minds of Duck players and fans. Two questions should be on everyone's minds: how do you stop Cam Newton and how do you stop SEC teams in BCS title games? War Eagle!

ESPN is reporting that after Auburn QB Cameron Newton came out of junior college last year that his services were allegedly shopped by a former Mississippi State player named named Kenny Rogers, who is a Chicago based sports agent. His company, Elite Football Preparation, puts on various football camps in Chicago, Mississippi and Alabama. The story was told by John Bond, a former QB at Mississippi State and one of Rogers' teammates.

Rogers allegedly told Bond after Newton's official visit to Starkville that it "would take some cash to get Cam". Bond promptly told the school, which promptly reported it to the SEC. This occured back in September, when an investigation was conducted.

Bond was told that other schools had offered $200,000 for his procurement, but since State HC Dan Mullen had an existing relationship with Newton, that they could pay only $180,000.

Cam Newton's father, Cecil, was interviewed by ESPN.com and denied any involvement, commenting that if Rogers attempted to solicit money, "he did it on his own, without our knowledge". The elder Newton admitted talking with Rogers a few times back in 2008 when Cam left Florida, but didn't actually meet him until Cam's official visit to State.

Cecil Newton acknowledged that he received a request from the NCAA in September asking him to provide bank statements both for himself and for the church for which he is a pastor, the Holy Zion Center of Deliverance, in Newnan, GA. He complied with the request.

In the meantime, it is the NCAA's policy to neither confirm nor deny any investigation it is conducting.

As far as Rogers and his company, both the NCAA and the NFL Player's Association have launched investigations into their practices.

Auburn assistant athletic director and media relations Kirk Sampson said "We have been made aware of the allegation. Unfortunately, we cannot comment at this time." "However, Cam Newton is eligible to play football at Auburn."

More to come.

The loser returns to pack, & has to prepare for a stretch run full of land-mines, regrets, & the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. One prediction I can confidently make is that the loser of this game is probably not done losing this year.

The storyline of the game pivots around the age-old cliche of the irresistible force that is Cameron Newton versus the immovable objects that pose as the LSU Defense.

The best player in college football through the 1st 7 games versus the #3 defense in America through the 1st 7 games. Gus Malzahn vs. John "Chief" Chavis Gene Chizik vs...well, nevermind.

LSU's offense is quarterbacked by two kids who have had their fair share of ups & downs, but, ironically enough, have had their brightest moments in the Purple & Gold occur against Auburn University.

Jarrett Lee threw a clutch TD pass against a heavy rush at the apex of his 2008 season. From there, it was Pick-6 Purgatory for the young Texan, which landed him on the bench for the final four games of that year, & almost the entire way in 2009.

His replacement, Jordan Jefferson, won 9 games last year, including LSU's most complete performance of the season against Auburn in Tiger Stadium, leading the Purple & Gold to a 31-3 dismantling of the Plainsmen.

Yet this year, the roles have been reversed. Jefferson has regressed significantly since the high of that victory, & Lee has been inserted in each of the last 3 games to provide a desperately needed spark that has been the difference in wins versus Tennessee, Florida, and...McNeese State?

(Sigh)

While Miles doggedly sticks to the quarterback rotation that seemingly wastes possessions when Jefferson's in (averaging a startlingly pathetic 1.88 yards per play on his drives against McNeese State Cowboys this past weekend) & puts even more pressure on a kid whose already been through a ton of it during his tenure in Tiger Town, LSU Fans can at least rest easy that Auburn's secondary has yielded yards & points in vast amounts, no matter if its to your starter, or your backup (I think Arkansas' ballboy just threw for a 1st down, by the way).

It's the other side of the ball that presents the real intrigue of Saturday's clash of the Tigers.

Cameron Newton, Auburn's Junior Quarterback, has lifted the fortunes of Gene Chizik's squad, & at the same time, has proved to make Urban Meyer feel like Captain Ahab, & see Cam as the one that got away. To stray off the subject, does anyone think there'd be any questions, or any heat whatsoever, on either Meyer on Addazio if Cam Newton was still suiting up for the Gators, & not Auburn? Perhaps Joe Paterno was on to something when he recently said, "It's not about the X's & O's, but more the Jimmy's & the Joe's."

Newton is a 6-6, 250+ pound battering ram whose been featured in a rush-oriented attack fueled by Gus Malzahn's fast-paced, up-tempo offense. By judiciously utilizing the pass-game only when necessary or appropriate, Auburn's used Newton's arm & their passing offense with great effect.

Perfect Example: Against Arkansas this past Saturday, Auburn ran 64 plays on offense. Newton threw 14 passes (Auburn threw 15 altogether). That's right at 80/20 run/pass ratio.

(By the way, Auburn Fans, before you guys start hooting too much, remember, in just over 17:00 on the field, Arkansas' backup quarterback threw for 300+ yards & 3 TD's. Yes, you ran 64 plays. But, the Hogs ran 77 on your defense. You may wanna quiet down. Just a tad.)

So, how do you stop a guy that is the league's leading rusher, & far & away its most efficient passer?

Hmm...Well, let's dig in to the stats.

First, we know that Auburn's going to run, run & run the ball some more. Even when they do pass, and you do have their admittedly sub-par receiving corp covered, Newton has averaged over 11 yards per carry on Quarterback Draws. You have to think at least some of those weren't Malzahn calling Newton's number.

So, if Newton doesn't throw it all that much, on the surface, you'd think that sending the extra man-or men-after him on those surprisingly few-and-far-between passing downs would put pressure on the Auburn signal-caller & perhaps force some mistakes with his right arm.

You'd be wrong, too.

According to some great statistical research from ESPN's SEC Blogger Chris Low, when teams send the dog after Newton, he's completing an eye-popping 70% of his passes.

Which means if your heat doesn't get there, & you're covering everyone downfield, he almost relishes being flushed from the pocket & can move the chains, anyway. It also means that if you don't cover, & the heat doesn't get there, he's got the accuracy needed to make you pay there, as well.

The other factor that has to be taken into consideration is the type of player you send after him. Is a nickel or cornerback honestly going to bring a 6-6, 250+ pound quarterback down?

No, in my book, the way to stop Auburn is to stop the run on 1st & 2nd downs, & then playing coverage. The same Chris Low article linked above goes on to talk about the equally interesting statistic that all of Newton's interceptions have come when teams have dropped at least 7 men into coverage.

Which means when teams play contain, & leave Clark Kent in his phone-booth, & play solid coverage outside, the Man Of Steel's typically not going to be able to change into his tights & throw on that cape with the S-on-his-chest.

John Chavis & the LSU stop troops are ideally suited for just such a task. Anchored by lighter-than-normal, yet extremely productive Defensive Tackles in Lezarius "Pep" Levingston & Drake "Cookiemonster" Nevis, LSU has the ability to control the interior of the line of scrimmage, & beat both single & double teams to pressure the pocket up the middle. On the edge, JUCO transfer Ken Adams & Chancey Aghayere have filled in nicely for budding Freshman Superstar Sam Montgomery, who was felled by a season ending knee injury on a low-but-legal block in the Tennessee contest. On the side opposite of those two, RS Freshman Barkevious "KeKe" Mingo (who might have the single best first & last names in the SEC over the next four years) has shown off sprinter speed off the edge, & a surprising tenacity against the run for a 6-5, 240 pound former track-star out of West Monroe, Louisiana.

The Fearsome Front Foursome of LSU has the talent & depth to play disciplined football at the point of attack, & not only control the line of scrimmage, but to pressure the pocket, as well.

Behind it, the Linebackers are ideally suited to spy on a player presenting Newton's unique skill-set. Senior 3 year-starter & 1st Team Pre-Season All-American Mike Linebacker Kelvin Shepperd is turning in a regular season matching his post-season Junior & pre-season Senior accolades. A quick, cerebral player with tenacity, Shepperd is a tackling machine that's absolutely flourished in Chavis' system. In the 2nd year playing the most important position for John Chavis' Defense, Shepperd is quite simply the best linebacker on the best defense in the Conference.

Flanking him are Junior Ryan Baker, who starred for two years as a gunner for LSU's Special Teams before contributing as a backup linebacker last year. Stefan Francois is the other Linebacker, who is a converted Safety & whose main attribute is as a speed merchant who covers a ton of ground & arrives to the ball with a decidedly unpleasant disposition.

Their secondary is much talked about. Brandon Taylor has been outstanding in checking the coverages for the Tiger defensive backfield. He's also shown both great coverage skills in the open field, & a penchant for making outstanding open-field tackles. Karnel Hatcher finally stepped forward out of a mix of players vying for the other Safety spot, & has shown some playmaking ability when challenged, as well.

Both are freed up to roam the secondary by the best cornerback tandem in the conference. Millionaire-in-waiting & early-season Heisman candidate Patrick Peterson gets the Deion treatment on most Saturdays, & allows LSU to play defense with 10 players defending only half the field. With two picks & at least two drops, teams were testing, but have given up hope of completing passes towards Peterson's side of the field.

Opposite of him, true Sophomore Morris Claiborne has been challenged. With 9 passes defended, 5 pass breakups, & 4 interceptions on the season, he's proven up to it, & then some.

In the humble scribe's honest opinion, looking at the stats & tendencies of both Malzahn & Newton, the LSU Defense is the best the Tigers have faced, & the worst matchup they could ask for: A tough, fast unit with playmakers at every position, who don't need to substitute based on down-and-distance in order to find advantages on the field. Pace & up-tempo won't require LSU to change much of their personnel, if at all. Because LSU simply doesn't really need to. Their Top 11, with an occasional insertion of super-freshman nickelback Tyrann Mathieu in obvious passing situations, are the bread-and-butter on defense.

They log a ton of snaps, & are routinely leaned on by LSU's offense, already, so 60 play games aren't anything new for this, defense, either.

Which means LSU has a Front 4 who can play contain & generate pressure. They have Linebackers who can get to the quarterback through the gaps quickly, or spy & cover a ton of territory laterally, very easily. Worst of all, they have corners & safeties who can play tight man or zone behind their outstanding Front 7, & look like a blanket in the process.

Look for LSU to run-blitz more than it blitzes with the pass. When we do send the dog through the gaps, look for the Purple & Gold Tigers to mix up their pressure packages, & utilize the zone blitz with their athletic Defensive Ends. I think you also might see LSU run some zone coverage like Cover 1 with a Robber in the hot lanes, looking for a gotcha to get Cam Newton thinking.

The book here is to stop the run, & then do what-LSU-does on 3rd down. Do that, & Auburn will be brought back down to Earth. A little.

On offense, LSU has to play keep-away, & with the league's leading tailback in Steven Ridley, & a bevy of talented tailbacks to back him up, LSU's ground game will be enough that Auburn has to sell out to stop it. Which puts an already weak War Eagle Secondary (whose hurting even more now that Iron-man-feel-good-story-of-the-year Aairon Savage went down with an injury that requires surgery late against Arkansas on Saturday) in a big hole.

Will it be one that even Jordan Jefferson can lead his version of the dysfunctional LSU Offense through?

Saturday will tell the tale...

You heard it here first. Auburn University hasn't mounted a concerted Heisman campaign since Vincent Edward Jackson in the fall of 1985. Are they doing it again? No, not officially, but murmurs started to appear after the South Carolina game, and after a much needed rest last week against UL-Monroe and the singularly dynamic game tonight against Kentucky, there can be no doubt that Auburn QB Cameron Newton has to be one of the front-runners in the race for the highest honor in College Football. Certainly ESPN, whom Auburn can't be televised enough by, seems to think so, with much ballyhoo during tonight's pre-game and a first half performance that should have simply been named the Cam Newton Show.

Pick your poison among the nation's elite big-man quarterbacks--Arkansas's Ryan Mallet or Ohio State's Terelle Pryor--neither can match the complete explosiveness of Cam Newton. Mallett may have the golden arm, and Pryor can also beat you with his feet, but Newton can do both equally well, if not better, and steamroll your linebackers for good measure. He had over 400 yards in offense tonight--198 rushing and 210 passing and all four Auburn TDs on the ground. As the stats sit at this moment, Newton is the #1 QB in the nation for pass efficiency and is the de facto leading rusher in the conference if you discount his zero carries in the gut game last weekend. A likely candidate for either SEC or national offensive player of the week yet again this week, defensive coordinators shiver at the thought of having to bring down the man playing amongst boys in the SEC and FBS.

Mark Ingram, last year's Heisman winner who missed the two opening games this season due to injuries, showed numbers similar today to his Auburn performance last year, and will only be mentioned in future Heisman polls as a footnote and possible predecessor to Newton. Ryan Mallett is the only real competition in the conference for Cam. Mallett posted his 5th straight 300-yard plus game, but remains six spots behind Newton in efficiency--despite having no where near the rushing ability. Plus, he's suffered at least one loss already, which doesn't bode well in contemporary Heisman ballots.

Only two players nationally match Newton in both passing and rushing ability: Michigan's Denard Robinson, who as a QB leads the nation in rushing, suffered a loss today against Michigan State, severly diminishing his chances. (Robinson ranks 3rd nationally in QB rating currently) Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor, perhaps the Heisman front-runner at this point, is ranked 14th in efficiency and just out of the top 30 in rushing. Ohio State won again today and is favored to win the Big Ten. Winning out the conference would make him the man to beat, barring a disaster.

I'll predict right now from all the chatter that a QB wins the Heisman this year, and we call know that a team that is winning will have the predominate advantage over teams that are not. Boise State's Kellen Moore is a contender, but with the Broncos' schedule not universally respected, his candidacy is a long-shot. You want another bold prediction right now?  If Auburn wins out--scratch that! If Auburn WINS the SEC, barring injury, Cameron Newton will win the third Heisman trophy brought to the Plains of East Alabama--another for the only school where the trophy's namesake had tenure. YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST! After tonight's performance, tell me I'm wrong!

(please insert homer accusations below)

Is LSU a serious contender in the SEC this year? Based on last night's performance alone, I say no. LSU rolled in the 1st Quarter, but that was against a UNC defense that sat almost their entire starting lineup due to NCAA investigations. And -- once again -- LSU showed their paper tiger hallmarks by allowing the Tarheels to storm back at the end, despite missing their top two WRs and top RB. UNC's TJ Yates is a serviceable college QB, but it's hard to forget that he led the 108th rated offense last year. If this depleted UNC squad can rack up 400+ yards against LSU's best defense, then I shudder to think what Alabama is going to do to the Tigers. My early prediction? LSU has a new head coach in 2011.

Michigan has served notice to the Big 10 Conference - they have a new QB and the boy can play! Oh, wait... that was last year, before 4-0 UM crashed back to reality. I don't know what to make of QB Denard Robinson's game yesterday other than to the kid can definitely ball. Season openers in The Big House have been a little dicey lately for Big Blue, but the Wolverines looked salty much of the day against a well-regarded UConn squad. I'm not on the Michigan bandwagon (yet), but RichRod's triple-threat offense looks to be well on its way in Ann Arbor.

For much of the off-season, the Gator Haters have been pounding new Florida QB John Brantley with the nickname "Cantley", as in "can't measure up to Tebow". Brantley's first start as the UF quarterback was... well... memorable. Brantley single-handily made Miami (OH), who won just one game last year, look like Miami (The U). The QB led Urban Meyer's team to just 25 yards of offense through the first three quarters. The final scoreboard would show an unexpectedly close win, but the box score would include eight UF fumbles (almost all of which were snaps or QB exchanges with Brantley) and just 212 yards of total offense. Game balls have to go to the Florida defense and Redhawks mistakes. The Redhawks committed four turnovers of their own or may have knocked off the Gators. I don't know what Meyer is taking for his heart problems, but he better double up on it for what is bound to be a very intese week of practice before South Florida rolls into Gainesville next week.

TCU may not be the #6 team in the country, but I wouldn't want to have to play them. The Frogs played fast in their 30-24 win over #24 Oregon State. Despite losing their #1 rusher last season, TCU rolled up 278 rushing yards against the Beavers, showcasing surprising depth in the backfield. The Frogs ran from nearly every set and doubled up OSU's time-of-possession. QB Andy Dalton had two ridiculous throws that were picked by the Beavers on strong TCU drives, otherwise this game might have been a blowout. The Frogs ran the option with precision and threw the ball deep with effectiveness. Dalton isn't Terrell Pryor, but he is the leader in wins among active college QBs. With their toughest test now behind them, perhaps the biggest challenge for Gary Patterson is keeping the Frogs focused on their second straight BCS appearance.

Note to Oklahoma: Perhaps this trend of playing Utah teams in the season opener is a bad idea. The Utah State Aggies nearly BYU'd the Sooners. But for some gutsy calls by Bob Stoops and some Sooner Magic, this one would have been another opening-day loss. Stoops promised that QB Landry Jones was "night and day" better than last year. I guess I didn't realize how bad Jones was *last year* because the improved Jones still keyed in on his primary receiver every play and went to him - whether he was open, covered, or headed to the mens' room. The defense gave up over 341 yards passing (421 total yards) to Utah State and surrendered eight plays of 20+ yards. OU faces a bigger challenge next week with Heisman-hopeful Christian Ponder and Florida State on the docket. This just in: FSU's offense is better than Utah's State's. Ponder played just two quarters in FSU's win, but had 4 touchdown passes and missed only two completions. FSU must be licking their tomahawk chops, right OU-Ron?

Show of hands: Who thought the days of Ole Miss losing to a FCS opponent were over when Houston Nutt rolled into town? Yeah? Me neither. J-State played with guts and deserved that OT thriller.

I know it was a win over Western Kentucky, but I think Nebraska might have a little something going with new freshman QB Taylor Martinez, a.k.a "T-Magic". T-Magic went 9-of-15 passing for 136 yards and no INTS and showed big speed on seven carries for 127 yards and three touchdowns, including a 46-yard run on the opening drive. It's early in the season, but watch out for the Huskers in the Big 12. If Texas and OU aren't going to play big this year, Nebraska is going to leave the league as defending champs.

Finally, what's going on at Notre Dame? I know it's the first game of the Brian Kelly experience, but the team seemed to be playing all-out for one another. Given Kelly's track record, it shouldn't be surprising, but if BK can harness the talent at UND, watch out. This team won't make the BCS in 2010, but look for the Irish to make a return in 2011 under Kelly.

That's it for me, boys. Whatchya got?

1. Alabama (55) 14-0 1,469 1
2. Ohio State (4) 11-2 1,392 5
3. Florida 13-1 1,245 3
4. Texas 13-1 1,240 2
5. Boise State 14-0 1,215 4
6. Virginia Tech 10-3 1,052 10
7. TCU 12-1 1,051 6
8. Oklahoma 8-5 1,035 NR
9. Nebraska 10-4 1,001 14
10. Iowa 11-2 952 7
11. Oregon 10-3 940 11
12. Wisconsin 10-3 778 16
13. Miami (Fla.) 9-4 728 19
14. Penn State 11-2 508 8
15. Pittsburgh 10-3 492 15
16. LSU 9-4 476 17
17. Georgia Tech 11-3 455 13
18. North Carolina 8-5 445 NR
19. Arkansas 8-5 438 NR
20. Florida State 7-6 374 NR
21. Georgia 8-5 312 NR
22. Oregon State 8-5 263 NR
23. Auburn 8-5 260 NR
24t. Utah 10-3 169 18
24t. West Virginia 9-4 169 22

Others receiving votes

Cincinnati (12-1) 135; Houston (10-4) 76; Brigham Young (11-2) 66; Arizona (8-5) 65; Mississippi (9-4) 48; Clemson (9-5) 44; Stanford (8-5) 41; Connecticut (8-5) 40; Notre Dame (6-6) 38; South Carolina (7-6) 38; Washington (5-7) 26; Missouri (8-5) 23; Navy (10-4) 12; Oklahoma State (9-4) 11; Boston College (8-5) 10; Michigan State (6-7) 10; Arizona State (4-8) 6; California (8-5) 6; Texas Tech (9-4) 5; South Florida (8-5) 4; Texas A&M (6-7) 3; Northwestern (8-5) 2; Temple (9-4) 2; Central Michigan (12-2) 1; Mississippi State (5-7) 1; Nevada (8-5) 1; Northern Illinois (7-6) 1; Southern Methodist (8-5) 1.

Alabama defends their national championship from last year by starting #1 this year, exactly like Florida did last year. The SEC has six teams in the preseason poll, the ACC has five, the Big 10 has four (not counting Nebraska yet) , the Big 12 has three, the Pac 10 two, and the Big East two.

 Show us SIX fingers, Tubs! Guns up!

Tommy Tuberville, never one to shy away from being direct, seems to be saying what he feels once again, which could be designed to keep Texas Tech on the map, but might not be endearing himself to other teams and coaches as the new kid on the block. Recently, on a radio show, Tubs offered up his opinion on the future of the conference formerly known as the Big 12:

"I don't think this conference will last long because there is too much disparity between all the teams," Tuberville said. "In the SEC, for instance, Vanderbilt makes as much money in the television contract as Florida. Everybody is good with it. Everybody is on the same page. Everyone gets the same votes.

"That doesn't happen here in the Big 12. We have some teams that get a little bit more money and have a little bit more stroke than some of the other teams. And when that happens, you're gonna have teams looking for better avenues to leave and reasons to leave. We have a 10-team league right now, but I just don't know how long that is going to last, to be honest with you."

Wow, CTT. Tell us how you really feel. Is it just me, or does Tubs seem to be falling into the same mold as the dread pirate Mike Leach, who was ousted in part for pissing off the powers to be in Lubbock?

But even more interesting is his recent hire of strength and conditioning coach Arnold Gamber. Now if that name sounds familiar to Auburn fans, it should. Gamber was Auburn's strength and conditioning coach under Tuberville and was also at the heart of the controversy with former Tiger lineman Chaz Ramsey and his career-ending back surgery. In December 2007, Ramsey had the surgery and was rehabbing it that spring. The story, as told by the Birmingham news:

The rehab program that followed was the source of what quickly became a bitter dispute between the Ramseys and Auburn's training staff.

Ramsey said he returned to Auburn in late May, about six weeks after his surgery, with his back feeling great. But an aggressive treatment program initiated by Auburn's training staff not only conflicted with the specific plan laid out by the surgeon, but actually made things worse, Ramsey said. Two months after the surgery, his back was back to "square one."

The conflict only escalated. Ramsey accused head trainer Arnold Gamber of calling him "less than a man" and suggesting that he use pain medicine for the rest of his Auburn career. The Ramseys say that Auburn team physician Dr. Michael Goodlett was horrified that the rehab directives were not being followed, and told Ramsey to report directly to him, not the training staff.

A year ago this month, Ramsey filed a lawsuit against Gamber and former Auburn OL coach Hugh Nall for "compensatory and/or punitive damages" for "pain and anguish" and "the denial of a very probable career in the NFL."Nall was dropped from the suit last month.

The bigger question is why would Tuberville hire a man who has a blemish like this on his record (still unproven, however) for possibly abusing players when his head coach predecessor at Tech was fired for doing the exact same thing? One must wonder if Tubs made this hiring decision unilaterally without conferring with the higher ups who pay the legal bills. A hiring like this might go a long way into helping Leach's pending lawsuit against the university.

Of course, fielding a winning team in Lubbock this fall will make any Tubs detractors fade away for a while--even Craig James. I'm not sure what a pass-happy Tubs team will look like, but I can tell you that they will start to play defense down there. For a change.

h/t: OU Ron