Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) has raised concerns about college football’s Bowl Championship Series (BCS) and said that she believes that the UC Berkeley football team (Cal) has “earned the right” to play in the Rose Bowl. This comes despite the fact that Senator Feinstein is an alum of Cal’s arch-rival, Stanford University.

In a statement inserted into the Congressional Record, Senator Feinstein said: “I know it may surprise some that a proud Stanford alum would speak out on behalf of the Cardinal’s bitter rival, but as a senator representing the entire state of California, I feel it is my obligation to support all of our fine college athletes and to ensure that fairness and good sportsmanship prevails in the competitive arena.”

Cal has had one of their best seasons in years, winning 10 games and losing only to the number one ranked USC Trojans. Yet, the team was denied the opportunity to play the University of Michigan in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day, and will instead play Texas Tech in the Holiday Bowl on December 30 th in San Diego. The University of Texas Longhorns will instead play Michigan in the Rose Bowl.

Until recent years, the Rose Bowl has featured the top teams from the Pac Ten Conference and the Big Ten Conference.

Feinstein continued: “If the top team from the Pac Ten cannot play in the Rose Bowl because it is playing for the national title, fans expect to see the next best school from the conference take its place. And, make no mistake about it -- Cal has earned a right to play in the Rose Bowl.”  

“With all due respect to Texas, it just does not seem right to see the champion of the Big Ten Conference, Michigan, play a school from the Big Twelve Conference and not the Pac Ten. It would be like eliminating the traditional floats from the Tournament of Roses Parade.”

The BCS was developed to try to ensure that the top two schools in the country have a chance to play each other for the national title. It ranks teams using the AP poll, the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll, and a collection of six computer generated polls.

The BCS, however, has been enveloped in controversy since its inception. This year, for instance, three teams – USC, Oklahoma, and Auburn – have perfect records, but only two can play in the National Championship game. This has led some to calls for its elimination and replacement with a four or eight-team playoff system.

“Surely we can find a way to preserve the best traditions of college football and ensure that teams that earn an opportunity play in a major bowl, are allowed to do so,” Senator Feinstein said. “Nothing can detract from Cal’s great season, and I am confident that the team will bring home a win in the Holiday Bowl on December 30 th. I wish them the best of luck.”

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