Auburn Tops Oregon for BCS Title

Auburn defeated Oregon 22-19 to win the BCS National Championship on Monday night in Glendale, Arizona.

Wes Byrum's 19-yard field goal sealed the deal for the top-ranked Tigers, who got a big boost on their final offensive drive when freshman running back Michael Dyer avoided contact with the ground during an apparent tackle.

Dyer was tackled by Oregon's Eddie Pleasant, but rolled over the top of the Oregon defender without actually touching the ground. All the players, including Dyer himself, initially, thought that the running back had hit the ground, so everyone stopped playing. After hearing his teammates and coaches on the sideline urging him to keep running, Dyer took off and ended up with a 37-yard run that nearly put the Tigers in field-goal position with the score tied at 19-all.

Five plays later, Byrum hit the game-winning field goal.

Dyer finished with 143 yards, 57 of those coming on the final drive after Oregon had tied the score with a touchdown and two-point conversion.

The game was relatively low-scoring, considering both offenses had put up big numbers throughout the season. In fact, the game didn't feature a single rushing touchdown, with Oregon running back and Doak Walker Award-winner LaMichael James accounting for both of the Ducks' touchdowns on passes from quarterback Darron Thomas.

Kodi Burns and Emory Blake had touchdown receptions from Cam Newton to account for Auburn's two touchdowns, and Byrum connected on two second-half field goals to provide the rest of the scoring.

Oregon kicker Rob Beard gave the Ducks a 3-0 lead early in the second quarter with his 26-yard field goal, but the Ducks went into halftime down 16-11 after Burn and Blake scored in the second quarter and Mike Blanc tackled James in Oregon's end zone for a safety with 3:26 left in the half.

Despite two early interceptions, Thomas was solid for the Ducks, going 27-for-40 for 363 yards and two touchdowns.

But the Ducks, primarily a rushing team throughout the season, could never get the ground game going against Auburn, finishing with just 75 rushing yards - 49 from James, 32 from Kenjon Barner and negative-6 from Thomas.

Newton was 20-for-34 for 265 yards and two touchdowns with one pick, but the biggest thorn in the Ducks' side was not an Auburn offensive player but rather defensive tackle Nick Fairley.

Fairley, a 6-foot-6, 298-pound lineman, finished with five solo tackles, including three for loss, plus one forced fumble and a sack. He also spent much of the game in the Ducks' backfield, putting pressure on Thomas and altering Oregon's offensive plans.