Every year, March Madness is the most publicized NCAA sports tournament. It's no surprise, then, that the March Madness basketball tournament is the most profitable source of revenue for the NCAA each year, too. It is a great time to see what dreams are made of, as people rally behind Cinderella story teams and typical crowd favorites.
This tournament also brings out a ton of parties at bars and living rooms across the country. The best way to root for your favorite team? Eat some food from places that somehow capture the team's essence, and what better spots to choose than those of the teams' cities? Here's what to eat while rooting for some of your favorite teams that you will likely be following for the next couple of weeks.
1. North Carolina Tar Heels: Shrimp and Grits from Crook's Corner
When I went to Chapel Hill for the first time, I was determined to try classic Southern comfort food. Naturally, my first stop was Crook's Corner, which is famous for their shrimp and grits. After one bite, I was automatically obsessed with all things UNC. It is a great school for food, sports, and fun.
Like their killer food, North Carolina basketball has been great all year. As Michael Jordan stated, "The ceiling is the roof," which makes no sense, but it's Michael Jordan so whatever he says is still something I will use as inspiration.
My prediction: win the tournament
2. Kentucky Wildcats: Kentucky Fried Chicken from KFC
Kentucky Fried Chicken is clearly the University of Kentucky's staple grub item. If you don't want fried chicken, there are still tons of options for great food around town.
My prediction: lose in the Sweet 16
3. Kansas Jayhawks: Mt. Everest Challenge at 23rd Street Brewery
Lawrence is the ultimate college town. At 23rd Street Brewery you have the opportunity to demolish the Manly Stanley, which is an insanely huge burger. It sounds like the perfect thing to conquer while you watch the Jayhawks conquer everyone on the court, too.
My prediction: lose in the Elite 8
4. UCLA Bruins: Burgers from In-N-Out Burger
UCLA is the leading team out west, and In-N-Out is the leading restaurant, so it makes sense that the two go hand-in-hand. Although they may not be a #1 or a #2 seed, they have the potential to go far. Especially because Lonzo Ball is "better than Steph Curry," according to his father. All jokes aside, UCLA is a great team and Lonzo Ball is very good.
My prediction: lose in the Elite 8
5. Gonzaga Bulldogs: Hamburgers from Wolffy's Hamburgers
The Pacific Northwest is quite a beautiful place and somewhere I recommend everyone check out at some point in their lives. If you happen to stop in Spokane on your trip, you must hit up Wolffy's Hamburgers. It may look a little sketchy, but its a staple diner in the town.
My pediction: lose in the Sweet 16
6. Villanova Wildcats: Zilly Fries from Campus Corner
Villanova won the tournament last year. Therefore, it has the mental edge over all of the other teams, especially UNC. If you are hanging around campus, staying up late watching the game, you need to hit up Campus Corner for some Zilly Fries. Villanova hasn't really been tested, so it is unclear how well they will do. It seems to me like they'll either lose early or win the whole thing, but I'm not going to choose your bracket for you.
My prediction: lose in the Final Four
7. Oregon Ducks: Brunch at Morning Glory Café
Growing up on the West Coast and now going to school in the east, it's hard to keep up with West Coast sports because most games don't start until 10:30 pm. However, this also means games start at 10 am on the weekends, as you wake up, which allows you to brunch and watch your favorite teams. For people who have the opportunity to go to Eugene, they are living the dream with great sports and great breakfast food.
My prediction: lose in the Final Four
8. Louisville Cardinals: Bourbon from Evan Williams
Louisville is home to the Kentucky Derby, Louisville University, and lots of great places to try some bourbon. It is a cool town with a lot of history and great drinks to either drown your sorrows or celebrate a victory after watching the Cardinals play.
My prediction: lose in Sweet 16
9. Arizona Wildcats: Quesadillas from The Quesadillas
For many people who are not from out west, the word Tucson is synonymous with the song Closer, and for people who are from Arizona, California, etc., the word Tucson is still synonymous with the song Closer. That may have been a bad joke, but what's no joke is the city's amazing Mexican food.
My prediction: lose in Final Four
10. Duke Blue Devils: Wings from Heavenly Buffaloes
When it comes to March Madness, Duke University is a great school that you either love or love to hate. Having grown up with an aunt who went to UNC, I never liked them, but now some of my best friends go there, so I don't know what to think. All I can say is that they love basketball and know how to have a good time.
My prediction: lose in the Elite 8
11. Michigan Wolverines: Cheesy Bread from Pizza House
Michigan is the best college food town in the country, and yes I'm totally biased. Every student knows that the cheesy bread from Pizza House is the staple food for late night snacking — or breakfast, or lunch, or dinner. Cheesy bread is fire and so is our basketball team at the moment.
My prediction: lose in the Sweet 16
March Madness is definitely going to lead to a lot of stressful nights in front of the tv, binge eating chips and guac. Hopefully, you now feel somewhat prepared to watch some of the teams you will likely have money on in the next couple of weeks. I realize there are a lot of teams that I did not mention, but the beauty of the tournament is that every team has a chance to make a Cinderella Story type of run.