Last week it was reported that Tennessee football recruits were offered monetary benefits sealed by way of McDonald’s bags. It was a scandal that took over social media by storm leaving many people to question, “Why McDonald’s?”

I, too, questioned the thought process behind the use of a bag that smells like stale onions and grease, and is there any symbolism behind McDonald’s and their golden arches? Not really. There isn’t any semblance of connection there. Whoever the bagman was, he probably just got caught up in the drive-through line and forgot to get a proper envelope.

What if SEC bagmen used carry-out bags from restaurants who were established in the area or are headquartered nearby? I did the research to find out which carry-out bag would match each school — and boy, does the symbolism speak for itself.

Auburn: Guthrie's

Guthrie’s was established in Auburn in 1982. Since then, they’ve expanded with locations in six states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee. The restaurant prides itself as one of the first to specialize in chicken fingers only. Back in the day, there was a Guthrie’s across the street from my high school — and let me tell you what, Huntsville hasn’t been the same without that Guthrie’s sauce. To tell you the truth, Auburn hasn’t been the same either. Hey Guthrie’s, if y’all are reading, this maybe it’s time to come back to North Alabama. Please.

Alabama: Jack's

There’s several restaurants we could’ve run with here, but Jack’s is the most fitting. In 1960, this famous hamburger restaurant got its start in Homewood, Alabama, and now they’re inescapable with 182 locations scattered across Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and Mississippi. They specialize in burgers, but you can get just about anything there except Imodium (which I strongly recommend you bring). You can’t go anywhere in Alabama without seeing a Jack’s, just like you can’t go a season without seeing the Tide literally everywhere.

Arkansas: Slim Chickens

I’ve never heard about this restaurant until now, and I’m kinda mad about it. Slim Chickens was founded in Fayetteville, Arkansas, back in 2003, and now has 69 locations not only in America, but in Kuwait and the United Kingdom. Please just look at the bag. There’s a chicken with a Panama hat on, and apparently, his name is Slim. Slim looks like a 1920s gangster, which is exactly the kind of marketing you’d want if you were a bagman.

Georgia: Zaxby's

Move over Chick-Fil-A, Georgia has another popular chicken chain that’s sweeping the nation by storm. Zaxby’s was founded in Statesboro, Georgia, by Zach McLeroy and Tony Townley. They founded Zaxby’s because, according to them, their local chicken restaurants weren’t very fun. You know what else is not fun? Discontinuing fried pickles. Yeah, that’s right, I said it. The quicker Zaxby’s brings back fried pickles, the quicker Georgia will win a national championship.

Florida: Sonny's Barbecue

My bucket list for restaurants I have to try has expanded once again. In 1968, Floyd “Sonny” and Lucille Tillman established the first Sonny’s Barbecue in Gainesville, Florida. Now they’ve proudly expanded to 113 locations across eight states. It looks like when Florida went on a hot streak and won two national championships in the 2000s, Sonny’s excelled as well. In the early 2000s, they were the largest barbecue restaurant chain in the United States with nearly 150 locations. The restaurant celebrates Random Acts of BBQ events, where locals cater a barbecue feast for community volunteers and organizations.

Kentucky: Fazoli's

When I went to Lexington last year, imagine my surprise to see multiple Fazoli’s restaurants. THEY ALSO HAVE A GIANT MR. GATTI’S — THE NOSTALGIA. Fazoli’s was founded in Lexington back in 1988, and North Alabama was once blessed to have them, too. If you’ve never had Fazoli’s, but are lucky enough to come across one, I strongly recommend the breadstick. Because that’s all I remember eating there as a small child. As the old adage goes, “You don’t know what you have ’til it’s gone.” Well, that’s how I feel about Fazoli’s. It’s probably how Kentucky basketball fans feel now without wins.

LSU: Raising Cane's

Raising Cane’s is famous for high-quality chicken fingers that you can drench in copious amounts of Cane’s sauce. Fans of the famous sauce even discovered the secrets of the concoction and leaked the recipe online. If you have a hankering, it’s essentially a mix of ketchup and mayonnaise blended with spices and Worcestershire sauce. The story of their CEO sounds eerily similar to the story of LSU head football coach Ed Orgeron. Raising Cane’s CEO Todd Graves received an F for his future business plan in college and apparently was told that a chicken finger eatery would “never work.” We said the same thing about Ed Orgeron when he arrived at LSU, but look at both of them now. Coach O has a national championship under his belt, while Raising Cane’s now has more than 360 locations across 23 states, as well as locations in Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon. This restaurant has come a long way from its 1996 grand opening in Baton Rouge.

Mississippi State: Ward's

Known as the “Home of the Big One” — and no I’m not talking about Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach’s personality. I’m talking about the four-ounce chili cheese burger with mustard, mayonnaise, and onions that can only be found in Mississippi. Their homemade chili and root beer has captivated a following nationwide, leaving many outsiders begging for the restaurant to ship them “Big Ones.” Since its 1978 genesis in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, current Ward’s owners have high hopes of expanding, but for now, it looks like the burger chain is set to stay in Mississippi. I’ve come to the realization that I must experience a Ward’s chili cheese dog before I die. Otherwise, my existence will be deemed futile.

Vanderbilt: Captain D's

ANCHOR DOWN. THE CAPTAIN IS HERE. Before Captain D’s expanded to 539 locations across 25 states, it was Mr. D’s Seafood and Hamburgers, just east of downtown Nashville in Donelson, Tennessee. In Huntsville, all of the Captain D’s locations have pretty much stayed the same in my 26 years of living. Well, except for the time a lady drove her car into one of them in Hixson, Tennessee. The restaurant rebranded its locations in 2012 to give guests a more nautical vibe. That same year, James Franklin led Vanderbilt to a Music City Bowl victory over NC State and a 9-4 record. Coincidence? I think not. The parallels between Vanderbilt and Captain D’s are there. Sea for yourself. (OK, no more puns).

South Carolina: Denny's

Denny’s headquarters are now located in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and let me tell you what, South Carolina football isn’t the only thing that’s a mess right now. So is Denny’s. The restaurant has over 1,650 locations around the globe but has closed hundreds of sites after losing nearly 60% of its traffic due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Back when I was a student at Auburn, there was a Denny’s located in Village Dining. It was OK if you didn’t have any plans later and could afford to spend the rest of the day in the bathroom. Bad food aside, Denny’s aims to grow market share with the launch of two virtual brands this year, while South Carolina rebuilds under new head coach Shane Beamer.

Ole Miss: Newk's

The original Newk’s Eatery was founded in Oxford, Mississippi, 17 years ago by father and son chefs, Don and Chris Newcomb. Ole Miss knows a thing or two about father-son success stories — just look at Archie and Eli Manning. The Newcombs found instant success with their restaurant, which has expanded to over 100 locations across 13 states. Most people go to Newk’s for soups, sandwiches, and salads when they really should be going for the California-style pizzas. Newk’s pizza comes in a little square box that features a warning which practically threatens outsiders not to touch your pizza. It’s necessary, because once other people see your Newk’s pizza they want some, too. Kinda like Lane Kiffin after his first season with Ole Miss. In one year with Kiffin, the Rebs defeated their in-state rival, won a bowl game, and finished 5-5 while coming dangerously close to defeating Alabama and Auburn. No wonder Auburn and Tennessee fans were riding the Lane Train in their coaching search.

Texas A&M: Whataburger

I really freaking love Whataburger. My first Whataburger experience occurred on Spring Break 2014 in Destin, Florida. I was advised to put their spicy ketchup on my burger, and I was hooked as soon as I took the first bite. It’s been difficult to be a Whataburger fan in a Whataburger-less region, so I decided to take the initiative and beg for the restaurant to expand to North Alabama. After seven years of being straight up annoying via e-mail and social media, the franchise finally caved and announced the future opening of locations in Decatur and Madison. Texas A&M is very fortunate to not have a Whataburger shortage. There are SIX restaurant locations within 30 minutes of the campus which really isn’t that crazy considering that the original Whataburger was established in Corpus Christi, which is about 250 miles southwest of College Station. Since opening in 1950, the beloved restaurant has expanded to 800 locations across 10 states. Both Texas A&M and Whataburger have a devout cult following that boosts their success.

Tennessee: Ruby Tuesday

Sandy Beall and four of his University of Tennessee fraternity brothers put together $20,000 to open the first Ruby Tuesday in Knoxville, adjacent to the UT campus. Growing up, there was a Ruby Tuesday just down the hill from my neighborhood. All I remember about it was the salad bar and the embarrassment of having “Happy Birthday” sung to me not only by the restaurant staff at the table, but over the PA system simultaneously. I have since recovered and stored that as a happy memory, because it was a great time, the service and staff was wonderful, and it was probably the last time I’d ever step foot inside of a Ruby Tuesday. My neighborhood Ruby Tuesday, the original Knoxville location, and hundreds of other poor Ruby Tuesdays no longer exist. The company today is bleeding financially and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October. Beall, the founder and CEO, left the company in 2017. It’s pretty much been in free fall ever since. The University of Tennessee is also in free fall right now, and partially because they allegedly gave money to recruits in McDonald’s bags. They should’ve known better and used Ruby Tuesday bags. To avoid further punishment by the NCAA, they should play the Rolling Stones song “Ruby Tuesday” on repeat in Neyland.

Missouri: Panera

This is a restaurant that’s come a long way since its inception. Ken Rosenthal, Ronald M. Shaich, and Louis Kane founded Panera Bread 34 years ago in Kirkwood, Missouri. Since then, the company has expanded everywhere across North America with more than 2,000 locations. Calling Panera’s business model a success would be an understatement. From 1997 to 2017, Panera was the best performing restaurant stock. Shareholders received a return of up to 86-fold, and their annual returns of 25% outperformed Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway. At one time, the restaurant was the nation’s largest provider of free Wi-Fi hotspots — which is great in case you’ve run out of cellular data and need to look up who Mizzou’s head coach is. It’s Eli Drinkwitz by the way, and I’ve gotta say, he might be on the cusp of something good. His Tigers finished 5-5 this year, and maybe some of that Panera Bread magic will rub off on this team in the future.