25 biggest villains in college football history
By Brad Weiss
Cam Newton
Quarterback, Auburn
Maybe it is his million-dollar smile. Maybe it was the way he showed up at Auburn and completely shredded the SEC. Whatever the reason is, Cam Newton is definitely one of the more hated players to ever play college football. His collegiate career got off to a very shaky start, but by the time he left Auburn, he has accomplished more than most players could ever dream about.
Newton began his college career at the University of Florida, but he didn’t last long there. He was arrested on felony charges of burglary, larceny, and obstruction of justice after stealing a laptop out of a dorm room. The charges were eventually dropped due to the fact he completed a pre-trial diversion program, but the damage was done. He left Florida and attended Blinn College, where he became the best junior college player in the country.
From there, Newton headed to Auburn, where he had a magical, yet controversial 2010 season. Newton led the Tigers to a national title, winning the 2010 Heisman Trophy over guys like Andrew Luck, and LaMichael James. During most of the second half of the season, Newton played under a shroud of controversy, as it was rumored his father, Cecil Newton requested large amounts of money for his son to play at the program.
This made Newton a villain to the fans in the SEC, as he completely dominated college football for that one season. He decided to forgo his final year of eligibility, entering the 2011 NFL Draft, where the Carolina Panthers made him the No. 1 overall pick. He remains a lightning rod for the haters at the pro level, but it has not stopped him from being one of the best quarterbacks in the game.