By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
U.S. Senators Richard Shelby (R) from Alabama and Dan Coats (R) from Indiana announced a friendly wager on the outcome of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) College Football National Championship Game. The defending national champion University of Alabama Crimson Tide played the #1 ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the BCS Championship Game.
Senator Shelby said before the game, ““This is a long-anticipated clash of college football’s two most storied programs. Coach Saban and Coach Kelly deserve tremendous credit for leading their respective teams to the national title game. I know that Coach Saban will have our team fully prepared to compete with determination and represent the University of Alabama with class. I am pleased to enter into this friendly wager on the game with my colleague and friend, Senator Coats, and I am confident that the Crimson Tide will prevail on the battlefield Monday night and bring a 15th national championship home to Tuscaloosa.”
Senator Coats said, “If you are a college football fan, it doesn’t get any better than Alabama and Notre Dame playing for a national title. Under Coach Nick Saban’s leadership, Alabama is a perennial powerhouse with one of the top fan bases in the country. As good as the Crimson Tide have been in recent seasons, this year belongs to Brian Kelly and Notre Dame. Led by its dominant defense and emerging offense, the Fighting Irish will claim a 12th national championship on Monday night. The state of Indiana is proud of this special team’s success and we look forward to the big game. I am confident the luck of the Irish will stem the Tide.”
Senator Shelby apparently is the better football prognosticator. The much promoted football game was never even competitive. The Alabama football team scored a touchdown on their first and second possessions, while Notre Dame never threatened to score in the first half. Alabama led at the end of the first half 28 to 0 and went on to win the University’s 15th National Championship. This is the third national championship Alabama has won under Coach Nick Saban. This is the fourth year in a row that teams from the state of Alabama have won the BCS Championship. Auburn University led by Heisman Trophy winner, Cam Newton QB, won it in the 2010 season.
Senator Coats now owes Senator Shelby a basket of goods from the South Bend Chocolate Co. If Alabama had lost then Sen. Shelby would have had to deliver Dreamland Barbecue to the Senior Senator from Indiana.
Senator Richard Shelby is Alabama’s senior Senator and was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986.
