A Championship Strategy: Play-off the Voters

Before putting the BCS to bed, I had one more thought that came to me while thinking about last week’s post National Champion a National Emergency? Don't Think So... Now I must warn you before hand… this thought is somewhat ridiculous and is merely a product of my imagination. In no way, shape, or form do I truly believe it will or should ever become reality. But I still think it’s worth talking about, if only just to stir up some conversation.

The thought is again about politics and the BCS. Now I know this may contradict my last post, but think about this… What if politicians fought for sports issues on the campaign trail? For example: “Coming up on NBC Nightly News… Senator John McCain pushes for education reform, tax cuts, and a government-imposed budget on the Yankees.”

Seems pretty ridiculous I know. But could it actually work? In the case of the BCS, it just might.

Say Barack Obama promised voters that if elected President, he would create a college football playoff. Just think about some of the states that might have gone his way had they known he would put an end to the evil BCS.

Utah’s five electoral votes might have gone blue if they knew their beloved Utes might have a chance to play for the national title every year. Being in the Mountain West (a non-BCS conference), they don’t get much love when it comes to the BCS’ final computer rankings. However, after trouncing SEC powerhouse Alabama in the Sugar Bowl to finish as the only undefeated team in Division I college football, it’s difficult to come up with a reason why this team shouldn’t be considered worthy of a national championship.

The same case could be made for Idaho’s four electoral votes. A Fiesta Bowl win over Oklahoma in 2007 showed that Boise State can play with the best. Still, their weak Western Athletic Conference gets no respect.

Total electoral votes won so far: 9

Maybe the most compelling case can be made for Alabama. The owner of nine electoral votes, this red state houses two of the nation’s top football programs with two of the nation’s biggest BCS quibbles. Auburn hates the BCS more than anybody. In 2004, after an undefeated regular season, they were left out of the national championship. Instead the nod went to undefeated USC who destroyed also undefeated Oklahoma. Could the Tigers have competed with the Trojans? A playoff could have answered that.

And what about the University of Alabama? The Crimson Tide missed out on the national championship this year after suffering their first and only loss of the season in their last game against Florida. The problem? Florida also finished with the season with one-loss coming at the hands of a weak Ole Miss team.

They hate the BCS so much in Alabama, if Obama had mentioned it while campaigning there, they may have just handed him the electoral votes right then and there bringing the total electoral votes won so far to: 18.

Last, but certainly not least, is Texas. It would be hard to imagine the Longhorn State’s 34 electoral votes going to anybody other than a Republican. But hey, if there is one thing Texans love more than their republicans, it just might be their football… and this year they had a bone to pick with the BCS. One-loss Texas finished just behind one-loss Oklahoma in the final standings, sending the Sooners to the national championship game. The problem… Texas BEAT Oklahoma earlier in the season.

Knowing that Obama could have reversed the fate of their football teams might have just been enough to reverse the votes.

Total electoral votes won: 52


New Obama campaign ad!