Tommy Tuberville may have won a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama from incumbent Doug Jones on Tuesday, but on Thursday he took a big "L" on Twitter.
Tuberville, who made college football head coaching stops at Ole Miss (1995-98), Auburn (1999-2008), Texas Tech (2010-12) and Cincinnati (2013-16), agreed with President Donald Trump's claims that there has been massive voter fraud the past couple days as Trump has fallen behind in several states that began counting mail-in ballots after Election Day. Those claims have been made despite there being no evidence of election fraud.
"The election results are out of control," Tuberville tweeted. "It’s like the whistle has blown, the game is over, and the players have gone home, but the referees are suddenly adding touchdowns to the other team’s side of the scoreboard."
The election results are out of control. It’s like the whistle has blown, the game is over, and the players have gone home, but the referees are suddenly adding touchdowns to the other team’s side of the scoreboard.
— Tommy Tuberville (@TTuberville) November 6, 2020
"I'd challenge that as a coach, and (President Trump) is right to challenge that as a candidate."
I’d challenge that as a coach, and @realDonaldTrump is right to challenge that as a candidate.
— Tommy Tuberville (@TTuberville) November 6, 2020
The American people deserve transparency and to know the integrity of our votes are preserved. #Election2020
MORE: How Tuberville went from Auburn football coach to U.S. Senate seat in Alabama
Of course, Tuberville's analogy doesn't hold up. The ballots being counted were legally cast before the Nov. 3 election deadline, according to officials in those states. Elections aren't officially over until all the votes are counted and the results certified.
Many people on Twitter, including CNN anchor-reporter Jake Tapper, were quick to make that point in terms even Tuberville could understand.
"This is inaccurate," Tapper responded. "What the president is doing would be like if Coach Tuberville discussed the 2008 Auburn football season by only talking up his 5 victories and pretended the 7 losses — including that loss to Alabama, hooboy — didn't happen."
This is inaccurate.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 6, 2020
What the president is doing would be like if Coach Tuberville discussed the 2008 Auburn football season by only talking up his 5 victories and pretended the 7 losses -- including that loss to Alabama, hooboy -- didn't happen. https://t.co/4OycGQe1bS
Auburn fired Tuberville soon after that 5-7 season was capped by a 36-0 loss to Nick Saban's Crimson Tide.
"Another way to look at it," Tapper added, "Imagine if in the 2008 LSU game, Coach Tuberville tried to say the game was over at the half, when the (Auburn) Tigers led 14-3. (The) game actually ended with LSU victory 26-21. So that declaration would have been premature and false."
Another way to look at it. Imagine if in the 2008 LSU game, Coach Tuberville tried to say the game was over at the half, when Tigers led 14-3.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 6, 2020
Game actually ended with LSU victory 26-21.
So that declaration would have been premature and false.
Tapper's blow might have been the most notable, but plenty of others piled on.
This warning Twitter put on this Tommy Tuberville tweet appears to be a new one. pic.twitter.com/SZGIbVcb2j
— Mike Beauvais (@MikeBeauvais) November 6, 2020
Uh oh, another W is slipping away from Tommy Tuberville. This is usually the part where he starts slapping assistants around... pic.twitter.com/tiIWWrVrkZ
— Jim Weber (@JimMWeber) November 6, 2020
Or it's like a football game where you play fairly until it's over. And sometimes, like the most recent game you coached, your team loses by a field goal in OT. https://t.co/ugD6Ua0Ku1
— nxthompson (@nxthompson) November 6, 2020
The BCS was right in 2004. https://t.co/wnizGjLoHm
— Andrew Hammond (@ahammTNT) November 6, 2020
That’s not what’s happening at all.
— Brandon Pope TV (@BpopeTV) November 6, 2020
The president wants to claim a win after 3 quarters. But you gotta play the 4th. https://t.co/jlXT98hYOg
It's pretty amazing you can spot non-existent fraud from hundreds of miles away but didn't know anything about all those ponzi schemes you were running. https://t.co/V5Dcou1YfG
— Josh Moon (@Josh_Moon) November 6, 2020