Auburn wins National Championship... since 1957

Cam Newton's passing and a goal line stand helped No. 1 Auburn build a 19-11 lead over No. 2 Oregon after three quarters of the BCS national championship game on Monday night. The Heisman Trophy winner threw two touchdown passes in the second quarter and Nick Fairley and the Auburn defense made the biggest play in the third quarter at the University of Phoenix Stadium. Auburn led 16-11 at halftime as the Tigers rolled up 258 yards in the second quarter and picked up right where they left off at the start of the third. The Tigers drove into the red zone, but stalled and settled for Wes Byrum's 28-yard field goal to make it 19-11. Oregon had its best chance to score on its second possession of the third quarter, using a faked punt in its own territory to keep the ball and a 43-yard pass from Darron Thomas to Lavasier Tuinei, who made a juggling catch, to get down to the Auburn 3. The first Oregon run went backwards, but the next two left Oregon at the 1 facing fourth down. Thomas handed to Kenjon Barner, but he didn't get close to the goal line, with throng of Auburn defenders stacking him up for no gain. Oregon started the scoring with a 26-yard field goal by Rob Beard on the second play of the second quarter, then Newton and the Tigers put together their first sustained drive to take the lead. Newton gave a slight pump-fake to freeze a defender and hit Kodi Burns in the middle of the field. Burns, the former quarterback bumped to receiver when Newton arrived before this season, leaped into the end zone for a 35-yard score and a 7-3 lead with 12:00 left in the second quarter. The Ducks struck right back. Backed up to his own 7, Thomas sailed a deep ball down the middle for Jeff Mahel, who went 81 yards to the Auburn 12. It was the longest play from scrimmage in the 13-year history of the BCS championship game and the Ducks' ninth play this season of more than 60 yards. Auburn was making its first appearance in the BCS title game and trying to become the fifth straight SEC team to win it in Chizik's second season as coach. Oregon, the first Pac-10 team other than Southern California to play in the BCS title game, was looking for its first national championship. Auburn's won only one, in 1957.

The game turned out to be one of the most sought after tickets in recent sports history, with some going for as much as $7,000 on some of the online resale websites.