What if the presidential candidates were SEC teams?

Politics

Some presidential candidates are turning football games into campaign stops. So let's imagine which candidates match up with what team.

Donald Trump - Alabama: Only the classiest, most luxurious and top-of-the-line is good enough for these two institutions. Alabama has a waterfall in their locker room, which means it might as well be called Trump Locker Room at Alabama. Analysts and media have written off Donald Trump several times during the campaign only to see his popularity rise. College football voters might want to think twice about penalyzing Alabama too much for an early season stumble. If only Nick Saban could convince the Alabama legislature to build a wall around Auburn...

Texas A&M - Hillary Clinton: Still undefeated but both have big matchups on the horizon. Clinton and Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin have interesting methods of air travel. Clinton has taken heat for her use of private jets while Sumlin has attracted attention for his use of a "Swagcopter," which he uses to visit high school recruits. They're also known for their use of technology. Clinton's use of a private email server is being investigated. Sumlin has a worker who posted a social media message about cleaning the coach's pool and used Twitter to foil a potential prank at his house.

Jeb Bush - Georgia: The establishment favorites and once-proud dynasties struggling to win the big ones. They're widely respected but not feared and you wonder whether they're willing to do it takes to beat Alabama or Donald Trump.

Ben Carson - Missouri: They don't make much noise, attract much media attention or get much respect. But they're usually near the top of the pack.

Ted Cruz - LSU: There's a lot of bravado here. But can the flash live up to the hype? The Texas Senator and Louisiana coach Les Miles also know something about using the clock. Cruz spoke for more than 21 straight hours to defund Obamacare. Miles has had numerous clock management adventures at the end of games. Sometimes they result in miraculous wins, sometimes they cost the Tigers the game. Has anyone asked Cruz what varietal of grass he prefers?

Chris Christie - Auburn: They have big reputations and were predicted to be contenders, but they've fizzled this year and don't have much to show. Have you seen the traffic around Jordan–Hare Stadium on gamedays? Maybe Christie can help out there.

Carly Fiorina - Ole Miss: They know how to build momentum and rise in the polls but may not have staying power. Ole Miss has taken down powerhouse Alabama two years in a row but struggles to repeat the performances. Fiorina became CEO of HP then had a rocky exit. She started out the primary season at the junior varsity debate table. Strong performances valuted her to the top tier of the polls. Can she continue to climb?

Bernie Sanders - Miss State: They're probably not going to win it all. But both are more than capable of notching a few upset wins.

Lindsey Graham - South Carolina: Turn on the TV, you're bound to see the South Carolina senator or coach Steve Spurrier. Graham ranks near the top for most media appearances, especially on the Sunday morning politics shows. Spurriers press conferences have always been see TV. While both win the press conferences, they've been struggling with the numbers that actually count. For the record there's no L-G in Veep.

Mike Huckabee - Arkansas: The brash traditionalists. Huckabee, a minister and former Arkansas Govenor, is outspoken is opposition to same-sex marriage and host of other social issues. Arkansas coach Bret Bielema prefers a run-heavy pro-style offense and often takes shots against teams that run spread and up-tempo offenses. Bielema recently told an interviewer, "It’s kind of nice to be a dinosaur in today’s world." No one sees Huckabee or Arkansas winning it all.

Bobby Jindal - Kentucky: Both are struggling to resonate with constituents. Jindal is mired at the bottom of the national polls and his popularity in his home state of Louisiana has dipped. Kentucky football is dwarfed by the school's basketball program.

Georgia Pataki - Tennessee: Neither has been been heard from since the early 2000s. Since leaving the New York Governor's office, Pataki had considered a U.S. Senate run and presidential run in 2012 before jumping into the 2016 race. Tennessee has come close to winning a few big games but stumbled in the fourth quarter.

Rand Paul - Vanderbilt: It seems hopeless for them, but every few years they rattle off a big win. Both are struggling to climb out of a shadow. The Kentucky Senator hasn't been able to capitalize on his father's run and fundraising. Vanderbilt hasn't been the same since James Franklin moved on to coach Penn State.

Marco Rubio - Florida: Underdogs but they're young and rising fast. The Florida senator didn't get much traction when he first announced his run and the Gators started the year unranked. Rubio is now on the move after some good debate performances and Florida scored an early upset win. The question for them is whether they can become the top dog in their own state and take down early favorites Jeb Bush and Florida State.

Joe Biden - UAB: This a bonus -- we know UAB isn't in the SEC. Neither are yet in the game, but they both get plenty of attention. UAB disbanded its football program in 2014 only to reverse and agree to restart the sport in 2017. UAB's stadium -- Legion Field -- has most recently been used to host soccer games. Biden has run unsuccessfully for president twice and mulling a third run.

1/15

Donald Trump - Alabama: Only the classiest, most luxurious and top-of-the-line is good enough for these two institutions. Alabama has a waterfall in their locker room, which means it might as well be called Trump Locker Room at Alabama. Analysts and media have written off Donald Trump several times during the campaign only to see his popularity rise. College football voters might want to think twice about penalyzing Alabama too much for an early season stumble. If only Nick Saban could convince the Alabama legislature to build a wall around Auburn...

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