[media-credit name=’LOGAN JAFFE/Herald photo’ align=’alignright’ width=’336′][/media-credit]

As the 2008 election approaches, University of Wisconsin
College Democrats and College Republicans face off in a wide array of issues,
fighting in support of their candidates.

But this Friday they will face off in a different battle —
and politics will not be the main focus of the contest.

College Democrats and College
Republicans will play a flag football game in front of the Kohl Center this
Friday night, and the smack talk has already started.

College Republicans member and coach Chris McGrath said
Friday is going to be a good game, and "those Democrats had better be ready to
get rocked."

Oliver Kiefer, College Democrats chair, said his team will
win by "far more than the Packers will beat the Cowboys" tonight.

The game is set to start at 7 p.m. in front of the Kohl
Center. According to Weather.com, the temperature Friday evening should average
12 degrees.

McGrath said his team plays under rain or snow, adding, "Unless
it's lightning, we play on."

"It's cold out tonight; it hasn't
been cold yet and it's going to be cold for the rest of the week. Hopefully
we'll get some snow on the ground — it's going to be perfect," Kiefer said at a
recent College Democrats evening practice.

McGrath said his team has worked on their game for nearly
two weeks now.

Though his starting line is not set yet, McGrath said his
team's strength will be on offense.

College Democrats, though, are starting with quarterback
Kiefer; receivers Scott Resnick and Gerald Cox, a Badger Herald opinion
columnist; defensive line Molly Rivera and Anna Smith and linebacker Justin
Rabback.

"It's a team effort out here —
it's all about the collective. Our defense is going to be phenomenal, the pass
rush is going to be relentless, and I can say one thing — I'm planning on
having a few scores myself," Kiefer said.

Game officials will be Badger Herald opinion editors Andy
Granias and Jason Smathers, and Herald News Editor Tom Schalmo.

"It was actually Oliver's idea. We were trying to come up
with a couple of people who would be good, generally not too far to one
[political] side or another," College Republicans chair Sara Mikolajczak said.
"We know that the Herald Editorial Board seems to be pretty fair, and they were
happy to do it."