Despite all the off-the-field controversy surrounding Auburn quarterback Cameron Newton this season, the junior highlights the 2010 Heisman Trophy finalists this year including Oregon running back LaMichael James, Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore and Stanford signal-caller Andrew Luck.

Newton, who was declared eligible to play by the NCAA on Dec. 1, put up EA Sports-esque numbers all year amidst the speculation of his father’s involvement in his recruitment to Auburn from Blinn Junior College in 2009.

Becoming just the third quarterback in FBS history to amass 20 touchdowns running and throwing in a season (Tim Tebow, 2007 and Colin Kaepernick, 2010), Newtown threw for 2,589 yards and 28 scores and added 1,409 and 20 touchdowns on the ground. Putting an exclamation point on his phenomenal regular season, Newtown led Auburn in a 56-17 rout of South Carolina in the SEC Championship game, throwing for four touchdowns and running for two as well.

James, the only non-quarterback of this year’s finalists and leader of the country’s scariest offense, finished the season with season with 1,682 yards and 21 touchdowns, both good for most in the nation. Week in and week out, James was easily the most productive back in the country, averaging 152 yards per game.

Moore made a name for himself right off the bat in 2010, leading the Broncos to a 33-30 victory over eventual ACC champs Virginia Tech in the first week of the season, passing for three touchdowns and 215 yards. The junior finished the year with 33 td’s and just five interceptions and is the country’s second best passer efficiency rating.

Overshadowed early in the Pac 10 by Washington’s Jake Locker, Luck quickly emerged as the best quarterback in the conference. Leading the Cardinal to a BCS berth in the Orange Bowl, Luck completed 70 percent of his passes and threw for over 3,000 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2010.

Assuming the Heisman voters don’t penalize Newton for the controversy that swirled around him for much of the season, the Auburn quarterback should walk away with the trophy, adding his name to the list of college football immortals. As far as we know, Newton did nothing wrong as he claims to be unaware of his father’s controversial actions. If this holds to be true, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t win the Heisman.

Tearing up opposing defenses and leading the Tigers to an undefeated record despite having the 106th best pass defense on the other side of the ball, Newtown deserves some sort of award for carrying Auburn all the way to the BCS National Championship.