On a night that ended in heartbreak and disappointment for many Auburn fans at Jordan-Hare, one bright spot came during halftime of the Deep South's oldest rivalry. Cam Newton, the legendary Auburn quarterback and 2010 Heisman winner, had his iconic number 2 jersey retired by the Tigers on Saturday night in front of a sold-out crowd of 88,043 fans.
At the start of halftime, students were greeted with an amazing light show and video presentation documenting Newton’s historic 2010 season for the Tigers, in which he led Auburn to an undefeated season, an SEC Championship, and a dramatic national championship win against the Oregon Ducks.
Largely considered the greatest single-season performance by a quarterback in college football history, Newton amassed over 50 touchdowns, led the SEC in rushing touchdowns, rushing yards, yards per completion, and quarterback rating, and won every major national player award—including the 2010 Heisman Trophy.
The light show recreated many of Newton’s iconic plays on the Plains, such as his 49-yard touchdown run against LSU, his incredible touchdown reception at Ole Miss, and his go-ahead touchdown pass to Philip Lutzenkirchen in the Iron Bowl to cap off Auburn’s legendary 24-point “Camback” against the Crimson Tide.
As the light show came to an end, the Spotlight switched to Newton and his family standing at midfield. As the crowd of over 88,000 gave an ovation, Newton and his family watched his retired number be unveiled alongside those of Auburn Football legends Terry Beasley, Pat Sullivan, and Bo Jackson.
“To be able to share this moment with my friends, my family—that’s what it’s all about, man,” said Newton when addressing the press before the ceremony on Saturday. Newton was adamant in thanking Auburn for giving him “a second chance” at Division I football.
Prior to his remarkable 2010 campaign, Newton spent two years at the University of Florida before transferring to Blinn College, a junior college in Brenham, Texas, for the 2009 season. He committed to Auburn the following winter—and the rest is history.
Newton also expressed his gratitude to Auburn’s faculty, coaching staff, and fans, specifically citing his strong relationship with members of the 2010 coaching staff, including Gene Chizik, Gus Malzahn, Trooper Taylor, and Curtis Luper.
“Without those guys believing in me, there would not be a Cam Newton that you guys know today,” stressed Newton.
The ceremony was not only a powerful reminder of a beloved player and season for Auburn fans everywhere—it was also the perfect encapsulation of how Newton’s legend has grown over the 15 years since that historic season. Whether making dazzling plays on the field as a player or celebrating in the student section with fans over a decade later, the energy Cam Newton brought to Auburn football can—and will—never be replaced. Now, his name, number, and legacy are officially written into Auburn history forever.
I’ll leave you with a quote from Newton himself that truly captures the importance of this moment in Tigers history:
“To be able to share these memories in this type of magnitude, to this type of capacity, is every athlete’s dream.”
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Jonathan Wallin | Sports Writer
Jonathan is a freshman majoring in industrial and systems engineering. He started with The Plainsman in the fall of 2025.
