WASHINGTON, DC, Friday, January 4, 2013 -- U.S. Senators Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) and Dan Coats (R-Ind.) today announced a friendly wager on the outcome of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) College Football National Championship Game, in which the #1-ranked University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish will battle the #2-ranked University of Alabama Crimson Tide. Should Notre Dame take the title, Senator Shelby will provide Dreamland BBQ from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for Senator Coats’ office. If the Crimson Tide brings home the championship, however, Senator Coats has promised to deliver a basket of goods from South Bend Chocolate Co. to Senator Shelby’s office. Shelby and Coats issued the following statements on the wager and the game:



“This is a long-anticipated clash of college football’s two most storied programs,” said Shelby. “Coach Saban and Coach Kelly deserve tremendous credit for leading their respective teams to the national title game. I know that Coach Saban will have our team fully prepared to compete with determination and represent the University of Alabama with class. I am pleased to enter into this friendly wager on the game with my colleague and friend, Senator Coats, and I am confident that the Crimson Tide will prevail on the battlefield Monday night and bring a 15th national championship home to Tuscaloosa.”



“If you are a college football fan, it doesn’t get any better than Alabama and Notre Dame playing for a national title,” said Coats. “Under Coach Nick Saban’s leadership, Alabama is a perennial powerhouse with one of the top fan bases in the country. As good as the Crimson Tide have been in recent seasons, this year belongs to Brian Kelly and Notre Dame. Led by its dominant defense and emerging offense, the Fighting Irish will claim a 12th national championship on Monday night. The state of Indiana is proud of this special team’s success and we look forward to the big game. I am confident the luck of the Irish will stem the Tide.”



***The BCS National Championship Game will take place at 8:00 p.m. ET on Monday, January 7, 2013, in Miami, Florida.***