Republican National College Football - Ron Paul and #5 Boise St

Ron Paul. Boise State. Both have gone from regional niche players to the front of the national conscious.

Paul was libertarian before libertarian meant Tea Party and before Tea Party meant signs of President Obama doing his best Charlie Chaplin impression. Paul might be the most unlikely of founding fathers for an increasingly mainstream movement and it seems odd for a 70 something year old man to be way out in front of a grass roots call for change. For nearly three decades, Paul sat on the wrong end of 434 to 1 votes, refusing to compromise his position. Everything from pork barrel spending, to the Federal Reserve, to the War in Iraq left Paul on the unpopular side of many votes. Rick Reilly would use some hyperbole to handicap his chances at the Presidency like "as likely as wanting to floss a shark with impacted molars" and it would make everyone cringe and wonder what happened to the guy who used to write in the back of Sports Illustrated. Paul really has no chance; he would be 7 years older than the oldest elected President (Reagan) when assuming office and really would never be allowed to lead the party's ticket but he's in the thick of things in his 3rd bid (88, 08, 12) for the Presidency.

Boise was a mid-major power before there really were mid-major powers. Mid-majors were always in basketball but Boise was successful, albeit a slight after thought, under Dan Hawkins through the middle part of the 2000s, respected but ultimately dismissed. Then they captivated a national audience with trickery as they knocked of Oklahoma in a game they had no business hanging around in. Returning Kellen Moore, their style of football has caught on and helped paved the way along with other supposed mid-majors now routinely in the top 25 and winning bowl games against power conferences. They appear unlikely to ever be able to actually win it all and last year may have been their best chance but like Paul, Boise State has gone from regional player to national acclaim, able to at least hang with the top talent and overcome what was once just marginal attention.

Republican National College Football - Bachmann and #3 Oregon

After a prolonged and needed vacation the second part in the RNCF is here.

Both are flashy and shiny. Both feature unconventional attacks on opponents. Both are backed by giant supportive bodies that have accelerated their campaigns into the forefront of public consciousness. Both are polling in the top 3. Both seem too unconventional to actually win it all but if they weather an initial battle could be hanging around until the very end.

Michelle Bachmann entered the race for the Republican nomination less than 3 months ago but has hit the ground running with the backing of Tea Party supporters and anti-Washington rhetoric despite a number of questionable statements and inaccuracies. She lacks the track record of other candidates but has come to represent a portion of America that feels unrepresented. An early win in the Iowa Straw Poll cemented her standing as a legitamate contender likely to be in the race until the end despite quotes like this:

"I find it interesting that it was back in the 1970s that the swine flu broke out under another, then under another Democrat president, Jimmy Carter. I'm not blaming this on President Obama, I just think it's an interesting coincidence," among others. 

Similarly Oregon has jumped in the fray with the traditional powers thanks to strong support from an organization, Phil Knight and Nike's backing. Knight has spent over $100 million on getting his alma mater to the forefront of college athletics, culminating in a near win in the BCS Championship game last season. Like Michele, Oregon is not without controversy, albeit paying players and not outlandish statements. A victory over #4 LSU to start the season would serve as a springboard similar to the Iowa Straw poll for Oregon and reaffirm their place among the elite until end of year matchups with Stanford and USC.