What can Alabama-LSU tell us about this year's election?

Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports | USATODAY

What can Alabama-LSU tell us about this year's presidential election?

Well, in recent years, the game's outcome has been a solid – if entirely coincidental – predictor of which party will take the White House.

Over the last seven elections, since 1984, an Alabama victory has preceded (or followed close behind) a Democratic victory. Conversely, an LSU win has meant the same for the Republican Party.

Let's combine sports and politics, because everyone loves that. The tale of the tape:

1984: LSU 16, Alabama 14. Ronald Reagan (R) demolishes 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).

If the trend holds, an Alabama win on Saturday would mean an Obama reelection; an LSU win would mean a victory for Mitt Romney.

This is the weakest of three sports-related election barometers.

The first involves the Washington Redskins' final home game before an election, beginning in 1936. If the Redskins won that game, the incumbent party would retain the White House.

That held true for 16 elections in a row, from 1936-2000. In 2004, however, the Redskins lost at home (of course they did) two days before George W. Bush was reelected to the White House.

But the trend returned in 2008, when the Redskins lost at home to the Steelers (obviously) in advance of Barack Obama's victory over John McCain.

A second election trend involves the Los Angeles Lakers. Until 2008, every time the Lakers reached the NBA Finals during an election year (eight times from 1952-2004) a Republican took the White House. This streak was snapped four years ago, when the Lakers met the Celtics in the finals but Obama beat McCain.