Cam Newton and Auburn basketball.jpg

The state of Alabama's biggest moment that moved the public needle in basketball last year arguably came when Cam Newton led cheers during Auburn's comeback victory over Alabama. (The Associated Press)

-- A busy January and February haven't kept

Cam Newton

from making his return to Auburn's campus this spring.

Newton is back in classes at Auburn, a spokesman confirmed, and is on pace to graduate in May, according to NFL.com's

Gil Brandt

.

And last week,

from Auburn students who snapped pictures of Newton in class.

Newton's return to Auburn's campus this spring comes off of a busy start to the year that forced him to delay his trip back to the Plains, with good reason.

For starters, Newton was still leading the NFC South-champion Carolina Panthers in the playoffs against the San Francisco 49ers on Jan. 12, four days after the start of the semester.

Then Newton made his second Pro Bowl appearance in three seasons in the NFL --

-- after completing 61.7 percent of his passes for 3,379 yards, 24 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, rushing for 585 yards and six touchdowns and leading the Panthers to the playoffs for the first time in five years.