Last Game Is Finally Here: BCS May Go Out With A Bang

By Mark Memmott

Published January 6, 2014 at 12:42 PM CST

Look, But Don't Touch, Part I: Some players are superstitious and don't want to touch a trophy until they win it. Florida State defensive back Jonathan Akanbi poses with the NCAA's Coaches' Trophy, which goes to the winner of Monday night's game.

There are obviously many things that could be said about Monday night's Bowl Championship Series game between No. 1 Florida State and No. 2 Auburn, starting with this:

It's the end of the much-maligned BCS, which almost every year has led to arguments among college football fans about whether the No. 3 or No. 4 ranked teams have been unfairly denied the right to play for the championship. Next year, the NCAA goes to a four-team playoff format. So we can all look forward to arguments in the future about whether the teams ranked 5, 6, 7 and 8 should have been included.

Then there's the story line about Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston, a freshman who won this year's Heisman Trophy — which goes to the country's best collegiate player. As we wrote the night he was honored:

On 'Morning Edition': NPR's Tom Goldman previews the championship game

"The award came just nine days after a Florida prosecutor announced that Winston would not be charged in the alleged rape of a female student at Florida State, and a day after the woman's attorney an independent investigation into the year-old case. Winston has maintained his innocence, and Florida Gov. Rick Scott says the case is closed."

Or, there's also a compelling tale to tell about Auburn's amazing run of late and whether it will continue tonight.

The Tigers beat defending national champion Alabama on Nov. 30 thanks to what Sports Illustrated declared was "the craziest finish in the history of college football" — a 109-yard return of a missed field goal.

Two weeks before that, Auburn beat Georgia thanks to another "miracle" touchdown when two Georgia defenders tipped a "Hail Mary" pass into an Auburn receiver's hands.

Look, But Don't Touch, Part II: Some players are superstitious and don't want to touch a trophy until they win it. Auburn wide receiver Dominic Walker poses with the NCAA's Coaches' Trophy, which goes to the winner of Monday night's game.

What we might suggest is the thing to really hope for if you're a fan of scoring, though, is a high-powered shootout between two powerful teams. The Sporting News says it "might not be a stretch" to expect them to combine for 100 or more points.

The score might even be higher than Saturday's explosive 45-44 win by the NFL's Indianapolis Colts over the Kansas City Chiefs.

Unless, of course, we just jinxed it.

The game, being played this year in Pasadena, Calif., airs on ESPN. Coverage starts at 8:30 p.m. ET.