Karl Rove call your office

In case you're not a sports junkie, the big controversy in college football is which schools got the shaft from the Bowl Championship Series. Undefeated Auburn doesn't get to play in the title game despite an unblemished record in what is arguably the nation's toughest football conference. Meanwhile, #5 Texas slipped past #4 Berkeley in the most recent computer rankings (a formula based on teams' performances, plus arbitrary votes by coaches and sportswriters), thus claiming an at-large berth in the BCS and a trip to Pasadena. Berkeley's consolation: the less-prestigious Holiday Bowl, when it was hoping to make its first Rose Bowl appearance since the second term of the Eisenhower administration. ...

See if you can find a pattern here. In 2004, Berkeley is passed over in favor of Texas, red-state trumping blue. In 2003, Southern California--yet another blue-state team--is snubbed in the title game, with the honors going to red-state squads Oklahoma and LSU. The other year of BCS controversy: 2000, when Nebraska (can't get any redder than that) is chosen for the title game instead of Oregon. Ok, you argue, then how to explain why Southern Cal is in next month's title game instead of red-state Auburn? That's simple: The best player on the Trojans' squad is named . . . Bush.