2014 BCS National Championship Predictions: Vizio BCS National Championship Offensive MVP Favorites, Dark Horses and Sleepers

2014 BCS National Championship Predictions: Vizio BCS National Championship Offensive MVP Favorites, Dark Horses and Sleepers: The top-ranked Florida State Seminoles and second-ranked Auburn Tigers are set to play in the Vizio BCS National Championship game Monday night, and while the ultimate goal for everyone involved will be bringing home a title, there are some individual honors up for grabs at well. The Offensive MVP Award is definitely the most memorable of the bunch, and since the inception of the BCS format, no player has ever won Offensive MVP honors while playing for the losing team. In addition, the last nine awards have gone to either quarterbacks or running backs. With that in mind, here is a look at the frontrunners as well as some other contenders to take home Offensive MVP honors in the upcoming Vizio BCS Nationak Championship game.

The Favorites

He has already taken home the Heisman Trophy, and if Florida State wins the national title, it will likely be because of a big performance from quarterback Jameis Winston. He was the top-rated QB in the country during the regular season, and his 38 touchdown passes set a freshman record and were the third most overall. Now, he faces an Auburn secondary that has already been torched by the likes of Zach Mettenberger, Aaron Murray, A.J. McCarron and Johnny Manziel. If Winston becomes the next QB to light up the Tigers, FSU is probably going to win a national title while Winston add BCS title game MVP honors to his list of awards.

The quiet workhorse for Auburn’s offense has been running back Tre Mason. He currently ranks ninth in the country with 1,621 rushing yards and his 22 scores are the fourth most. Considering the Tigers’ offense is completely dependent on running the ball, it is hard to imagine a scenario where they win the game and Mason doesn’t have a big game. If he is able to grind out 100-plus yards and a couple of scores against a stout Florida State defense, Auburn could be celebrating a national title while Mason snags MVP honors.

The Dark Horse

Dual-threat quarterback Nick Marshall came into his own for Auburn late in the year, and while he typically isn’t asked to throw a lot, he has the ability to put points on the board with both is arm and his legs. In fact, Marshall had at least one rushing and one passing touchdown in each of the Tigers final four games, and during the stretch, he never ran for fewer than 89 yards. If he delivers a few highlight-reel plays that help the Tigers upset the Seminoles, MVP honors are certainly a possibility.

Sleeper Specials

Florida State has an excellent offensive line, and the unit is certainly good enough to open up the type of holes a player could use to win MVP honors. However, the Seminoles split carries between three excellent backs, making it tough to pinpoint one as a favorite to put up big numbers. That being said, Devonta Freeman has taken care of a majority of the goal line work this year, scoring a team-high 13 touchdowns. If the Seminoles run their way to a national title, there is a good chance Freeman will find the end zone a couple of times, which could be enough to land him MVP honors.

Although it is tough for a wide receiver to nab MVL honors ahead of the quarterback throwing them the ball, Florida State’s Kelvin Benjamin could be an exception. Thanks to his 6-5 frame and blazing speed, he has made a habit of making big plays all season. Benjamin leads the Seminoles with 14 touchdown receptions while averaging a team-best 19.1 yards per reception. If Benjamin hauls in a couple of long scores or makes a few spectacular grabs, he could end up stealing MVP honors.

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