There may be no more indelible and unique symbol of the LSU tailgate than the cast-iron pot. If you've walked campus during gameday, no matter you saw, chances are at least one tailgate had one of some varying size, over an open propane burner with somebody in an apron with a beer in one hand and a paddle or large spoon in the other, stirring something.
It's a monument to versatility, because of the wide variety of foods you can cook in it. If we're being truthful it even plays a role in the deep-fried portion of this bracket, more often than not. A tailgater's black pot is an investment, something that has to be maintained and cared for. And it's often accompanied by some sort of specialty burner rig -- the former head chef of my family tailgate operation had a large aluminum box on wheels that could fit his burner to keep wind from blowing the flame out, with an adjustable top to fit his various sizes of black pot.
Frankly, you could make the argument that black pot cooking IS LSU tailgating. With that, we move to the opening matchup of our bracket.
No. 1 Jambalaya
Among the typical Cajun delicacies, Jambalaya is probably the most ubiquitous. It's not hard to make -- if you can cook rice, you should be able to throw some meat and seasoning in the pot first and cook that down before you add the liquid and the rice. It can be both a main course and a side, depending on what else you want to serve. And largely, it's a fairly cheap way to feed a large number of people well. Whether you're making it yourself or buying a bucket or a tin from your favorite place.
No. 16 Tasso Sauce Piquante
A sauce piquante is a spicy, tomato-based stew, to which you can add just about any type of meat, from chicken to the most exotic, and then serve over rice or your favorite starch. Adding a couple of big hunks of spicy, flavorful, Cajun smoked and cured ham. Honestly, what more do you have to say?