Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl and College Station, Texas, Mayor Nancy Berry have placed a bet on the outcome of the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas to be played on Dec. 31 in Houston. The game will pit Evanston’s Big Ten Northwestern University Wildcats against College Station’s Big 12 Texas A&M University Aggies. The two mayors met via conference call on Monday.

Mayor Tisdahl bet a rib dinner from Evanston’s Hecky’s Barbecue if A&M wins. Mayor Berry challenged by betting a prime rib roast and a supply of Texas Aggie Brand Beef Jerky from Texas A&M University’s Rosenthal Meat Science & Technology Center if Northwestern is victorious.

“I appreciate Mayor Berry’s good sportsmanship in putting up fine Texas meat products against the very best barbeque ribs in the world. It will be my pleasure to treat the Evanston City Council to prime rib and Aggie beef jerky after Northwestern beats Texas A&M on New Year’s Eve,” said Mayor Tisdahl. “I am only sorry that Mayor Berry will have to come to Evanston some day to enjoy Hecky’s outstanding ribs. One thing for sure, the Meineke Car Care Bowl has picked two excellent football teams to compete in Houston this year,” Tisdahl concluded.

“Fantastic — I’m looking forward to the College Station City Council enjoying the best ribs in the world,” Mayor Berry said. “But, just in case, I’m prepared to send Mayor Tisdahl some equally famous offerings from A&M. The beef jerky alone has been lauded by The New York Times. This should be a great game.”

The 2011 Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas will kick-off Saturday, Dec. 31, at 11 a.m. and will be televised on ESPN. The game also will air nationally on ESPN Radio. For ticket information, visit www.ticketmaster.com.