BCS rant ping.
One of the few counties in Alabama that Kerry won was Lee County, where Auburn is. The best explanation I have heard for that is that the conservative student body has many people who vote in their home counties or who didn't vote, while the more liberal members of the faculty (who constantly complain about how conservative their surroundings are) all voted in the county. There is also a sizable black community in the county apart from the school, and although many blacks now realize that the demoncrats don't represent their values, the majority of blacks still voted for Kerry.
And I agree completely on the BCS point. Auburn got screwed based on history, location, and the preseason polls (done by the same people who do the later polls, and who wants to admit they were wrong all along?)
First; when you've got 3 unbeaten teams, one gets jobbed. No way around it without a playoff.
Second; so what? College sports aren't pro sports. The purpose of college sports is to benefit the students playing the sport and to help build campus spirit. The fact that TV money has turned it into a monster is no reason to screw it up by lengthening the season even further (an 8 team playoff would require 2 more games, or more if you don't incorporate the bowl games into the playoffs). We don't need a college football national champion. Leave it be.