Former Bulldog Artis-Payne Ready to Play in BCS National Championship Game
Cameron Artis-Payne is less than 48 hours away from becoming the first former Allan Hancock College football player to play in a Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game. Artis-Payne is a junior running back with the University of Auburn. The 2nd-ranked Tigers face top-ranked Florida State on Monday, Jan.6, inside the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. The game is set to start at 5:30 p.m., on ESPN.
Artis-Payne ranks fourth on the Tigers with 609 rushing yards on 90 carries this season. He's averaging 6.8 yards per carry and has scored six touchdowns. He's rushed for 100 or more yards twice this season, including a 133 yard effort on just seven carries against Western Carolina.
Artis-Payne scored a 15-yard touchdown in Auburn's last game, a 59-42 win over 5th ranked Missouri in the Southeastern Conference championship on Dec.7. He finished with two carries for 36 yards and one touchdown. Despite seeing limited duty in recent games, the junior said he was always focused on making the most of his opportunities. "I'm always ready," said Artis-Payne during a recent interview with The Montgomery Advertiser. "I'm just waiting for my time. I'm always ready," he added.
The 5-foot-11, 210 pound Artis-Payne continues to be a major source of pride at Hancock going into the national championship game. "I have a feeling if they give him a chance with the ball during the game, he's going to do something special on the biggest stage possible," said Hancock football head coach Kris Dutra, who coached Artis-Payne during the 2011 and 2012 seasons.
Artis-Payne broke numerous program records during his time at Hancock. He earned All-State honors his sophomore season after he led the state with 2,048 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns. He owns school records for most career touchdowns (43), most touchdowns in a single season (25), most rushing yards in a single season (2,048) and most career rushing yards (3,412). He averaged seven yards per carry with the Bulldogs.
"Cameron is a self-made man," added Dutra. "Through hard work, he made this opportunity to play at Auburn happen for himself. Now he's playing for a national championship. I'm so proud of him."
Auburn enters on a nine-game winning streak and the No.2 team in the nation at 13-1 overall. The Tigers lead the nation in rushing at 335.7 yards per game and have scored 30 or more points in nine-straight games. Auburn finished last in the SEC last year and is a victory away from its second national title in four seasons.
Florida State leads the nation in scoring defense, giving up 10.7 points per game. The undefeated Seminoles won the Atlantic Coast Conference and have won every game this season by at least 14 points. Florida State is gunning for its first BCS title since 1999.
This is the last year of the BCS, which started in 1998. It relies on a combination of polls and computer selection methods to determine the top two ranked teams to play in the BCS National Championship Game. The BCS will be replaced next season by a four-team playoff.