In anticipation of the competition between Boise State Broncos and Air Force Academy Falcons at BSU Bronco Stadium on Friday, Sept. 13, teams representing Boise State ROTC and nearby Mountain Home Air Force Base will come together in a fierce but friendly battle in the second “Grill-Off” sponsored by USA Onions.

Held just outside the stadium in a large-footprint tent with Weber grill products and local food items to add to the competitive spirit, the pre-game grilling contests draw upwards of 10,000 visitors to the tent. Jumbo and Ruby, mascots for USA Onions/Idaho-Eastern Oregon Onion Committee, appear at each of the spiritied “Grill-Off” competitions held pre-game at Boise State home football games this fall. (Photo courtesy of USA Onions)The Boise State ROTC and Mountain Home Air Force contest is expected to “ignite tailgate excitement for football fans,” according to Sherise Jones, marketing director for USA Onions/Idaho-Eastern Oregon Onion Committee.

The Friday grill-off features a military theme and provides a “Salute to the All-American Burger.” The event gets under way at 3 p.m. at the Ford Fan Zone with grilled onion samples, a Weber grill giveaway sweepstakes and a visit from the USA Onion mascots Jumbo and Ruby. The grill-off commences at 4 p.m. when Boise State ROTC and members of the Mountain Home Air Force Base Force Support Squadron “fire up their grills for a sizzling head-to-head barbeque battle,” Jones said.

She said both teams will utilize their own recipe for the all-American burger, which will be served to three judges who declare winners for the best use of USA Onions and best overall burger.  

Well-known food bloggers Tammilee and John Tillison will be on hand for the judging, as well as a representative from the Idaho’s Veterans Home in Boise.

“Members of the Boise State ROTC are chomping at the bit to put their team’s backyard barbeque skills up against the honed cooking technique of the Mountain Home Air Force Base Force Support Squadron,” she said.  “Boise State ROTC has already predicted a win and claims they will have plenty of ROTC cheerleaders on hand to spark team enthusiasm and wow the judges.”

But she added that MHAFB “has a few tricks up their sleeve and intends to stick to their motto, ‘Aim High! Fly-Fight-Win!’”

Jones went on to say, “USA Onions is ecstatic that the Boise State ROTC and MHAFB agreed to participate in this week’s USA Onion Grill-Off competition.  Since our goal is to establish the USA Onion Grill-Off as college football’s premier tailgating event series, this matchup will go far to earn that status.”

Jones noted that USA Onions is the branding identity for the Idaho-Eastern Oregon Onion Committee, representing 36 shippers and 300 onion growers who ship more than a billion pounds of onions from the Treasure Valley. Some of the onion fields are less than 20 miles from Bronco Stadium, she added

Jones said, “The Grill-Off is designed to increase USA Onion consumption, encourage healthy grilling and provide the ultimate college football tailgating experience.”