Few college football players, if any, are likely to ever match Cam Newton’s 2010 season. He carried Auburn to a national championship, often through sheer force of will, leaving defenses to question whether he was even human.
That makes his omission from the College Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot deeply puzzling and honestly, quite shocking.
In his lone season on the Plains, Newton dominated the sport, amassing 51 total touchdowns (30 passing, 20 rushing, one receiving). As the Tigers surged up the rankings, they reached No. 1 after the legendary “Cam-Back,” when Gene Chizik’s team overcame a 24-3 deficit against Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium to win 28-27 in one of the Iron Bowl’s most unforgettable games.
Cam Newton was the most unstoppable force college football has ever witnessed
But it wasn’t just his stats. It was the way he broke defenses’ will especially when they tried to tackle him. Using his 6-foot-5 frame, he bulldozed over defenders, while his speed left even the fastest SEC players in the dust.
His most iconic play came against LSU, when he weaved through the Bayou Bengals’ defense and outran two future NFL stars Tyrann Mathieu and Patrick Peterson to the end zone.
No honest account would ignore the late-season controversy surrounding Newton. Rumors swirled that Auburn had paid him up to $180,000 to play for the Tigers. Though the NCAA found no proof and Newton remained eligible, the allegations never fully disappeared, slightly dimming what should have been a triumphant moment for him.
There’s no doubt Newton will eventually be inducted into both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame. But given the season he had and the impact he made in just one year at Auburn, there is absolutely no justification for keeping him off the first ballot.
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