Roll Tide or Geaux Tigers?

Surely, you, as I, will be glad when next Tuesday's election is over and all the trash-talking and cheap shots return to the football field and message boards rather than the nightly news.

But you, as I, also might be surprised to learn that Tuesday's election could well hinge on the outcome of Saturday night's Alabama-LSU game. How so?

As Paul Myerberg of USA Today reports, the Tide-Tiger outcome has foretold which party would claim the White House in every election since 1984. You could look it up. Myerberg did. And here's what he found:

Over the last seven elections, an LSU win has meant a Republican president, while an Alabama victory has meant a Democrat in the White House. You would think, considering the Crimson Tide's elephant mascot, it would be other way around. It's not.

1984: LSU 16, Alabama 14. Ronald Reagan (R) routs Walter Mondale (D).

1988: LSU 19, Alabama 18. George H.W. Bush (R) defeats Michael Dukakis (D).

1992: Alabama 31, LSU 11. Bill Clinton (D) defeats George H.W. Bush (R).

1996: Alabama 26, LSU 0. Clinton (D) defeats Bob Dole (R).

2000: LSU 30, Alabama 28. George W. Bush (R) defeats Al Gore (D).

2004: LSU 26, Alabama 10. George W. Bush (R) defeats John Kerry (D).

2008: Alabama 27, LSU 21. Barack Obama (D) defeats John McCain (R).

Should the trend hold an Alabama victory Saturday would mean an Obama reelection; an LSU win would mean a victory for Mitt Romney. Who you got?