Auburn at the BCS Championship

Auburn at the BCS Championship<br /><br />USA TODAY Sports goes behind the scenes as the Tigers cap their remarkable season.<br /><br />As if pointing the way, Auburn coach Gus Malzahn directs his team Monday during the first half of the BCS National Championship Game in Pasadena, Calif.Photo: Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports<br /><br />PASADENA, Calif. One more task remained. In the aftermath of a 34 31 loss, Gus Malzahn had gathered the Auburn Tigers, delivered a final message, then prayed with them. Now, a few moments later, it was time for postgame interviews, which meant a trip to the other side of the stadium.<br /><br />Tre? Dee? Yall ready? Malzahn said. Lets go.<br /><br />Tre Mason was not ready. The junior running back had been sitting in his locker, his face buried in a towel, almost inconsolable, although several teammates and coaches and other staff members had tried. But red eyed, he followed Malzahn from the locker room. Just outside, Malzahn was intercepted by an ESPN reporter for a live TV interview. As they waited, senior defensive end Dee Ford pulled Mason back inside, away from the bright lights, and embraced him.<br /><br />No one is upset with you, Ford said he told him. No one is upset with us. At the end of the day, we still set the bar.<br /><br />Mason had run for 195 yards and scored two touchdowns. The Heisman Trophy finalist had the football on the very last play, as time expired, a funky pass and two laterals combination designed to provide him with running room behind a wall of blockers. It was a desperation move, a play called when its too far to throw into the end zone, and highly unlikely to work but then, the Tigers knew unlikely. It was the story of their season.<br /><br />A little earlier, when Mason took a handoff, bounced off several Florida State players and then bolted 37 yards into the end zone with 1:19 left, they figured theyd just written one more crazy, perfect ending. As Mason scored, giving Auburn the lead, Malzahn pumped his fist, and yelled: BOOM! Players screamed and jumped and hugged and waved towels and relished another incredible moment in a season filled with them.<br /><br />AUBURN: 2014 lookahead<br /><br />But on a football sideline, elation can shift to devastation in 79 seconds. A missed tackle. A penalty flag. A touchdown catch. Seconds later, that wall for Mason crumbled: Finally, there were no more miracles. Inside a very quiet locker room, as Florida States celebration swirled on outside, the Tigers first year head coach searched for the right words:<br /><br />OK, Malzahn said. I know we are all disappointed. We are stinkin competitors. Im just gonna tell you this: We feel like crap right now. But everybody in this room is stinkin champions. They fought their butt off. We make a play or two, we end up winning the game.<br /><br />Heres what I dont want you to do: I dont want anybody to have their head down. I dont want anybody playing the name game, all that crap. Man, were all in this. I could have done a better job, too. We got beat. Were gonna give those guys credit. Were gonna show class, all right?<br /><br />The Auburn defense, left, had one of its best performances of the season during the first half of the BCS National Championship Game.Photo: Kelvin Kuo, USA TODAY Sports<br /><br />Because you learn the biggest lessons in life through adversity. But Im gonna tell you, when everybody looks back on this team? Theyre gonna remember that its the biggest turnaround in college football history.<br /><br />Im just gonna say this to you seniors. I know I talked to yall last night. We love every one of you. Youre the ones that got us here. Well never forget the senior class. I just wanted to say that. What you guys did? You laid the groundwork for the best years to come.<br /><br />Im just gonna tell you right now, Im proud of you. You fought your butt off. They had to make a play or two to win. Its OK to be disappointed crap, we should. Thats OK. But lets just make sure were together. Were different than everybody. Behind the scenes, the Tigers never bought that Team of Destiny tag at least, not if it was supposed to mean they were lucky and shouldnt have been playing for the BCS National Championship but they clearly saw their destination: one more victory. The tipped pass miracle to beat Georgia? That returned field goal to crush Alabama? It was unbelievable, never see it again stuff, sure unless they did it again Monday night against the Seminoles. Those things happened, Malzahn told them, because you earned it, morphing from a 3 9 team in 2012 that did not win a conference game into 12 1, SEC champion, and they were certain headed for even more.<br /><br />BCS: 12 decisive moments<br /><br />Cam Newton might have best illustrated the mindset on Sunday evening. The catalyst for Auburns 2010 national championship team, Newton was asked by Malzahn to be an honorary coach, and to speak to the team before the Tigers took the field Monday. But with the Carolina Panthers in the playoffs, he couldnt make it to Pasadena. Instead, they improvised.