Later Life and Return To Coaching
Wilkinson ran as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in 1964, at which point he legally changed his first name to Bud, but narrowly lost to Democrat Fred R. Harris during the same election in which Republican Presidential candidate Senator Barry Goldwater lost to incumbent President Lyndon Baines Johnson 55%–45% in Oklahoma. Wilkinson served as Republican National Committeeman from Oklahoma, and was considered for the post of chairman of the Committee by Richard Nixon, but was not selected. Wilkinston entertained seeking the other Oklahoma U.S. Senate seat in 1968, but did not run.
In 1965, Wilkinson joined ABC Sports as their lead color commentator on college football telecasts, teaming with Chris Schenkel and, later, Keith Jackson. Wilkinson was the color analyst for three of the greatest games in college football history, each commonly referred to as a "Game of the Century": Notre Dame vs. Michigan State in 1966, Texas vs. Arkansas in 1969, and Nebraska vs. Oklahoma in 1971.
Wilkinson was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1969. In 1978, Wilkinson returned to coaching with the St. Louis Cardinals of the NFL. After less than two disappointing seasons, he was fired and returned to broadcasting with ESPN.
Wilkinson suffered a series of minor strokes and, on February 9, 1994, he died of congestive heart failure in St. Louis at the age of 77.
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