The Auburn signal-caller Cameron Newton wrapped up an incredible 2010 season in style, torching South Carolina in the SEC Championship Game. Newton racked up 335 passing yards and four touchdowns, the most he's thrown in college football; he also accumulated 73 yards on the ground and two more rushing scores. He outgained the entire Gamecock offense in the 56-17 rout.
So let's look at the records Newton broke this year, shall we?
- He's the third player other than Tim Tebow or Colin Kaepernick to throw for 20 touchdowns (28) and rush for 20 touchdowns (20) in a single season.
- He holds the single season record for SEC quarterback rushing in a single season at 1,409.
- His 3,998 total offensive yards is the most in a single-season in Auburn history.
- He's only the second quarterback in SEC history to rush for over a thousand yards, and the first to pass for 2000 yards and rush for 1000 yards (the eighth quarterback ever).
- Also, he did all these things this year.
The only thing that can keep Newton from capturing the prize is off-the-field issues, but he's established himself so far ahead of the competition that he's unlikely to be surpassed. Perhaps if Andrew Luck had led the Stanford Cardinal to an upset over the Oregon Ducks, he'd be considered a more viable candidate. But Luck and LaMichael James don't generate the "WOW" factor that Newton has all season long.