Auburn's Controversial QB Leads Stunning Comeback

Cam Newton's off-field troubles may hurt his Heisman chances, but his on-field behavior remains just fine. He threw for three touchdowns and ran for another today, leading No. 2 Auburn back from a 24-point deficit for a stunning 28-27 victory over No. 9 Alabama that kept the Tigers on course for a shot at the national championship. Auburn trailed 21-0 before it even picked up a first down, and Alabama had a 314-2 lead in total yards at one point in the first half.

But Newton rallied the Tigers for a victory that left the Alabama crowd of more than 101,000 in stunned disbelief. He threw scoring passes of 36 yards to Emory Blake, 70 yards to Terrell Zachery, and, finally, a 7-yarder to Philip Lutzenkirchen with 11:55 remaining that gave Auburn its first lead of the day. It held up, keeping the Tigers perfect heading to next week's SEC championship game against South Carolina. If Auburn wins that one, the reward will certainly be a spot in the national title game. (More college football stories.)