There's time for barbecue for fans heading to Austin, Texas, to see Texas Tech's Red Raiders take on the Longhorns. Franklin Barbecue in Austin is consistently rated among the state's best barbecue joints.
Courtesy Franklin Barbecue
Destination Texas —
Pitmaster Aaron Franklin's technique draws crowds willing to wait for hours to sample his expertly cooked meats.
Courtesy Franklin Barbecue
Alabama Dreamland —
Tuscaloosa, Alabama's original Dreamland Bar-B-Que restaurant is a member of the state's Barbecue Hall of Fame. Not a bad base layer for Crimson Tide fans heading to Auburn for the Alabama-Auburn game.
Art Meripol/Courtesy Alabama Tourism Department
Hall-of-Fame rest stop —
Donetta Bethune is the granddaughter of Brenda's Bar-B-Q founders. Located in Montgomery, Brenda's is also a member of the Alabama Barbecue Hall of Fame.
Art Meripol/Courtesy Alabama Tourism Department
Western-style in North Carolina —
Chhanuon Ponnhas been smoking pork shoulders for Stamey's Barbecue in Greensboro, North Carolina, for 30 years. Stamey's, which serves up the state's Western-style barbecue, is on the North Carolina Barbecue Society's Historic Barbecue Trail.
Jerry Wolford/Courtesy Stamey's
Meeting in the middle —
Allen & Son in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, combines elements from both the Eastern and Western styles.
Courtesy VisitNC.com
Ode to Eastern-style —
East of North Carolina's Research Triangle area -- Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill -- Sam Jones cooks whole hogs, Eastern-style, at the Skylight Inn in Ayden, North Carolina.
Courtesy VisitNC.com
South Carolina gold —
South Carolina's mustard sauce sets the state apart in the world of barbecue, although plenty of S.C. spots don't use it. Maurice's Piggie Park, based in West Columbia, bottles its signature Southern Gold sauces.
Courtesy Maurice's Piggie Park
Dine-in or take-out in Tennessee —
Sweet P's in Knoxville offers a tailgating special that features ribs, pork and wings.
Courtesy Sweet P's
Tennessee technique —
Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint in Nashville employs the West Tennessee style of whole-hog smoking. There's a Martin's in Mt. Juliet, convenient for Vanderbilt fans leaving town for the UT game in Knoxville.