Newton, whose eligibility was brought into question by what the NCAA has said was an attempt by his father to sell his football services, threw for four touchdowns, ran for two more and personally produced 407 yards.

Auburn's victory in the Southeastern Conference championship game gave the Tigers a 13-0 mark and earned them a meeting with No. 1 Oregon on Jan. 10 in Glendale, Ariz.

Supremacy in major college football will be determined that night with Newton putting his considerable talents against an Oregon team loaded with skill and speed. The Ducks reached the championship game earlier Saturday with a 37-20 win over Oregon State.

South Carolina (9-4) gave Auburn a tough test when they met earlier in the year and the Gamecocks trailed by only seven when Stephen Garcia threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Alshon Jeffery at the end of an impressive 91-yard drive.

That score came with just 16 seconds left in the second quarter, but on the first play after the kickoff, Newton threw a 51-yard touchdown pass to Darvin Adams that broke South Carolina's back.

The Tigers then outscored South Carolina 28-3 in the second half.

Newton's pass in the closing seconds of the first half completed two quarters that had seen him throw a 12-yarder to Onterio McCalebb for a touchdown, run 5 yards for a score and then hit Adams with a 54-yard scoring toss.

In the second half, Newton ran 1 yard for a score and threw 7 yards to Emory Blake for another. T'Sharvan Bell chipped in a 10-yard interception return for an Auburn touchdown.

Newton completed 17-of-28 for 333 yards and ran 14 times for 74. He was ruled eligible to compete after the NCAA found no evidence that he had known of his father's attempt to earn money by capitalizing on his talents.

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