Quack attack
Matt Murschel
Orlando Sentinel
If you are looking for the winner of Monday night's BCS national championship game, then look west, young man.
Oregon will defeat Auburn and win its first national title.
How can you go against the Quack Attack? All season, Oregon has shown it has one of the most dominant teams in college football. The Ducks' only real challenge this season was a 15-13 victory over California on Nov. 13. Other than that, they have run under, over and past most teams.
Everyone will want to focus on Heisman Trophy finalist LaMichael James, but the X factor could be quarterback Darron Thomas. Thomas has passed for 28 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. He has added close to 500 yards on the ground. Look for him to have a big game and lead the Ducks to a 48-44 victory.
mmurschel@tribune.com
Head says Auburn
David Teel
Daily Press
The ticker says Oregon. Not because of the Ducks' acid-trip uniforms, coach Chip Kelly's point-a-minute offense or running back LaMichael James' speed. It's because the NCAA's eligibility ruling on Auburn quarterback Cam Newton ranks among the association's most outrageous — and that's saying something.
But the neocortex says Auburn. The Tigers not only have Newton but also immovable defensive tackle Nick Fairley, the Lombardi Award winner as the nation's top lineman. Plus, Auburn is more battle-scarred than Oregon.
Regardless, don't head to bed early if either team jumps to a big lead. Auburn rallied from 24 down to beat Alabama, and Oregon overcame an 18-point deficit to whip Stanford. Translation: Bet the over. Auburn 41, Oregon 38.
dteel@tribune.com
Coin flip says Ducks
Chris Dufresne
Los Angeles Times
I'm picking Oregon to beat Auburn in Monday's BCS title game with all the confidence of a freshman on his first day of college. I'm more confident the game will be high-scoring than I am about who is going to win.
I attended Thursday's Pac-10 basketball slugfest between Arizona State and Stanford in Tempe and kept wondering if Oregon and Auburn would outscore both teams. In fact, the final score of 55-41 in favor of Stanford seemed like a possible final for the football game.
Bottom line: No way Auburn's defense can stop Oregon's offense and no way Oregon's defense can stop Auburn's offense, so we could be looking at an over/under of 90-plus.
The winner: Oregon 48-45, but hold me to it as tightly as you would a beehive. It should, in the very least, be entertaining.
cdufresne@tribune.com
Tigers by a whisker
Teddy Greenstein
Chicago Tribune
So who do you like? The school that began the season ranked 22nd (Auburn) or the one that was a 22-1 shot to win the national championship (Oregon)? I'm torn.
I love Oregon's hyperkinetic offense and how the Ducks used it to crush even the best teams in college football. They outscored Stanford 28-0 in the second half.
But how can you not favor the best team in the SEC, a team with college football's most dominant player on each side of the ball? Cam Newton won the Heisman Trophy — jinx, anyone? — and defensive tackle Nick Fairley is both unblockable and unconscionable with some of his late hits.
I'll take Auburn in a classic: 34-33.
tgreenstein@tribune.com