You may think that since the Super Bowl is in the past, the opportunity to combine both sports and food is over until Thanksgiving when your grandpa falls asleep on the couch with football on TV. I’m not denying Bagel Bites or nachos as a go-to complement to cheap beer when the game’s on (because it obviously is), but I think we can probably do better. America, I present to you Foodball.

No, it’s not some sort of professional food fighting league—trust me, it’s a whole lot cleaner (well, depending on how messy of a cook you are). Foodball is simple: pick a game and learn a new recipe based on the home team’s location. If you dare to be bold, choose a beverage from the away team’s city. Two NFL seasons into Foodball, I have experienced some of the greatest foods and drinks the country has to offer.

This week, I bring Foodball to college basketball for the first time with the sport’s number one rivalry, UNC vs. Duke, facing off on Wednesday night (2/18). In order to match the magnitude of this Carolina classic, I combine two of the best ingredients in the world—cheese and bacon—with a Southern staple in shrimp and grits.

Medium

Prep Time: 3o minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Servings: 4

Ingredients:
1 ½ cup chicken broth
1 ½ cup milk
¾ cup quick-cooking grits
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped raw bacon
1 pound uncooked medium-size shrimp, peeled
½ cup diced green bell pepper
½ cup diced onion

Directions:
1. In a large saucepan, bring the chicken broth and milk to a boil.

grits

                                                                                                          Photo by Samantha Yudin

2. Pour in grits and salt and stir. After it boils again, reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer. Over the next 5 minutes stir often.

grits

                                                                                                                                                                                     Photo by Samantha Yudin

3. Mix in cheddar cheese and stir until melted. Set aside and keep warm.

grits

                                                                                                                                                                                     Photo by Samantha Yudin

4. In a large skillet or pan, cook bacon until crisp (8-10 minutes) over medium heat. Place crispy bacon in a bowl and drain all but 2 tablespoons of drippings.

grits

                                                                                                                                                                                     Photo by Samantha Yudin

5. Add shrimp, green peppers and onion to drippings and cook until shrimp are bright pink, about 5-8 minutes.

grits

                                                                                                                                                                                     Photo by Samantha Yudin

6. Stir bacon into the shrimp, peppers, and onion.

grits

                                                                                                                                                                                     Photo by Samantha Yudin

7. Spread grits in serving dish and then top with shrimp mixture. Sprinkle additional shredded cheddar cheese on top to garnish.

grits

                                                                                                                                                                                     Photo by Samantha Yudin

You have now successfully become an honorary Tar Heel or Blue Devil. If you need to wash down your authentic Carolina meal, I suggest picking up a few bottles of Cheerwine Cherry Soda (feel free to add some whiskey depending on the type of day you had). Sit down, relax, and finish off your hump day with some epic college basketball.

If you need some additional ways to cope with your sports or bacon/cheese addiction: