The Big 12 Tournament is back in beautiful Kansas City once again, as the women will kick things off this week before the men follow up a week from now. One of the things the conference has tried to do is incorporate some fresh ideas during the tournament, whether it be celebrity appearances or bringing in an LED court.
One of the things that I always enjoy is the Big 12 eats. The conference has specific menu items for all 16 Big 12 schools. When I saw the last one for this year, it caught my interest. While I will not be there in Kansas City to try all these things, I thought it would be fun to rank them based on which one I would least want to try and which one I would love to try.
#16 BYU Cosmo Churros
Sorry to all you churro lovers out there, but I am not a big sweets guy to begin with unless it’s ice cream or pie. Plus, cinnamon isn’t really my jam either. If I am going to a basketball game, churros aren’t exactly something I would personally seek out.
#15 UCF Citronaut Drink
While I do love ice cream, I could do without the orange soda that goes in it. If I am drinking a float, give me a Coke or a Dr. Pepper any day of the week. Maybe even a Root Beer. Either way, this orange soda float doesn’t do much for me.
#14 West Virginia Mountaineer Pepperoni Roll
I like pepperoni rolls, but the problem is that I would not pick them over much outside of the two sweet treats on the list. While they are delicious, it just feels like we could do a little more here or add something to it to give it some pizzazz.
#13 Arizona State Sparky’s Smoked Boneless Wings
Chicken wings? Hell yes. Smoked? Even better. But did we really need to go the boneless route here? I love chicken nuggets, but when I want wings, give me bone-in all day. Who cares if things get messy?
#12 Utah Majerus Special
From what I understand, this is just a burger with pastrami on it. I love a good burger, but I am not crazy about pastrami. Just give me the burger and ditch the pastrami. Give me some bacon on it instead.
#11 OSU Orange Power Pizza
I enjoy pizza as much as anyone out there, and when you throw a bunch of meat on it, sign me up. But I do wonder how good pizza from an arena actually is. As someone who has been to many venues across the country, it’s rare that pizza from one blows me away.
#10 ISU Green Chili Pork Walking Taco
I love my Iowa State folks to death, but I will never, for the life of me, understand the walking taco. Being from South Texas, I take my tacos seriously, but this just feels like a glorified taco salad in a chip bag. The green chili pork sounds good, but give me a fresh flour or corn tortilla instead.
#9 Arizona Wildcat Mini Chicken Chimichangas
While the chimichanga was invented in Tucson, I have never been the guy who orders one when I am at a restaurant. It’s one of those things I never truly think about, but I do actually like them. This is something that cracks the top ten but not my top five.
#8 Cincy Cheese Coney
Having a delicious cheese coney anytime is always good, but it hits different at a sporting event. Although I associate hot dogs with baseball, I can easily get down with eating one at a basketball game, too. Having a coney dog is just downright the American thing to do.
#7 KU’s Big Jay Loaded Mac and Cheese
Who doesn’t love mac and cheese? And when you top it with pulled pork, BBQ sauce, and crispy onions, it sounds even better. This is one of those items that could easily be higher on someone else’s list.
#6 Baylor Brisket Sliders
One of my favorite things to eat when it comes to BBQ is brisket, and while I traditionally prefer it on its own, to let the meat do the talking. But I do enjoy a good brisket sandwich from time to time as well, and sliders always hit the spot.
#5 Colorado Boulder Green Chile Nachos
We are starting to get to the point on the list where you can clearly see what kind of food I like the most. Nachos are a must for me anywhere I go, whether it’s in a ballpark, stadium, arena, or you name it.
#4 Texas Tech The Matador Melt
As a spice head, this is the kind of burger that appeals to me. It’s meaty, juicy, salty, and spicy, and it hits all the flavor profiles I like. When I see a burger with anything spicy on it, chances are I will order it.
#3 K-State Powercat Steak Tacos
Tacos are like my love language, and when you put steak on a taco, it is just downright delicious. The toppings on this are nothing special, but a steak taco is a steak taco. Is there any taco out there that is better than that? Maybe so..
#2 Houston Shasta’s Brisket Tacos
The only thing better than a steak taco is a brisket taco. I could do without the corn and black bean salsa, but who am I to judge what goes on a brisket taco? I also find it interesting that they decided to use tacos instead of BBQ for Houston, but hey, to each their own.
#1 TCU Cowtown Loaded Tots
This may seem cheesy like the tots, but if there is anything I like more than regular nachos, it’s when the chips get replaced by some crispy tator tots. Then, when you add spicy queso sauce and brisket, it only makes it better. This is a must-try if you are in Kansas City. Oh, and of course, I can’t forget about the purple sour cream on top either.
