BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – College basketball has March Madness.

The state of Alabama has BBQ Fever, a year-round affliction that fortunately is not limited to any particular month – or day of the week.

And beginning Monday, 32 barbecue restaurants from across the state – from Mobile to Decatur, Tuscaloosa to Eufaula – will compete in a NCAA Tournament-styled Alabama Barbecue Bracket sponsored by the state tourism department as part of its ongoing Year of Alabama Food promotion.

And like the NCAA Tournament, the Barbecue Bracket is sure to spark plenty of passionate debate.

Exhibit A: Archibald's B.B.Q. in Northport a No. 8 seed? To quote the great John McEnroe: "You cannot be serious!"

The field of 32 was selected by Facebook and Twitter users, and the restaurants were seeded and paired based on a social media poll conducted on behalf of the Year of Alabama Food, according to an Alabama Tourism Department press release that came out today.

The bracket is divided into four regions with eight barbecue joints in each region, and barbecue lovers will be able to go to Year of Alabama Food’s Facebook page to vote for their favorites when the tournament starts Monday.

The No. 1 seeds in the four respective regions are:

North: Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q, Decatur.

Central: Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q, Birmingham.

South: Mike & Ed's BBQ, Auburn.

Gulf Coast: The Brick Pit, Mobile.

Including top-seeded Jim 'N Nick's, Birmingham has six of the eight entries in the Central region: Saw's BBQ in Homewood (2), Full Moon Bar-B-Que (4), Golden Rule Bar-B-Q (5), Moe's Original Bar B Que (6) and Rusty's Bar-B-Q in Leeds (7). All but Rusty's have multiple locations.

“Barbecue is part of our heritage,” Alabama Tourism Director Lee Sentell said in today’s release. “As a result, there’s always been a debate in this state about which restaurant serves the best barbecue.

“Our Barbecue Bracket gives Alabamians and visitors an opportunity to choose their favorite barbecue restaurant. It’ll be very tough competition because our restaurants make some of the best barbecue in the country.”

Voters will have 72 hours to pick their favorites in the first round of the tournament, and the winning restaurants will advance to the Sweet Sixteen, then the Elite Eight, then the Final Four, and finally, the Championship Round.

Final Four voting will take place April 1 through April 5, and the overall champion will be announced on Monday, April 8, the same day of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship.

Email Bob Carlton at bcarlton@al.com

Updated March 3, 2013, at 8 p.m. with new Alabama tourism BBQ bracket