When the Oregon Ducks and Auburn Tigers met for the BCS National Championship Game at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on January 10, 2011, many thought a new record would be set for points scored in a single NCAA football championship game. Instead, the two teams set an entirely different record.
With 27.3 million viewers tuned in to ESPN for the title game, Auburn and Oregon broke a record and the game became the most watched cable television event in history.
And the game - while mostly a defensive battle - didn't disappoint.
It featured two of the top three Heisman contenders, including Newton, who won the award. The game also featured the projected number one overall draft pick, Nick Fairley. It had a 4th-and-goal stop at the one-yard line, a game-tying 2-point conversion with 2:30 remaining, a harrowing 37-yard run with Michael Dyer rolling over an Oregon safety.
And it ended with a field goal as time expired.
In addition to breaking the record for viewers - which was previously set by 2009's Monday Night Football meeting between the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings. The BCS title game surpassed that matchup by over 5.4 million viewers.
The game also set a new record for digital viewers, with 619,000 computers tuned to ESPN3.com to watch the game streaming live on the internet.
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