College of Idaho kicks off their football season with a community tailgate

CALDWELL, Idaho — The College of Idaho started off their 2023 campaign with a 37-7 win against Lincoln University.

The school got their fans ready for the game by hosting the first tailgate of the year before the first kick-off.

Carl Anderson is in charge of arguably the most important thing at the tailgate; The grill.

“The seasoning makes the meat,” Anderson said when asked what makes a good piece of meat. “Mixed with the fat and the heat and the caramelization, and the crisp crunch.”

Every week, Carl and other alumni do a pregame meal for the athletes the day before the game. They also feed as many people as they can on Saturday before people head out to the game.

Carl has done this every year since the football program came back from a hiatus in 2013.
He was in school at the college when the football team was still around and says it’s a much different energy now.

“Totally different,” Anderson said. “We had more seagulls in the stadium than there were players.”

Now the College of Idaho brings hundreds of fans to each game.

One of those fans is Zandile Mouyeme. She says her friends call her Zee. Moyeme is from South Africa but now goes to the College of Idaho.

She had strands of her hair dyed purple for the Yotes colors, and purple face paint as well.

“Listen, I’m committed to my school okay,” Mouyeme said.

She said the international program at the school made her want to attend. She says in her time at the college, she has made friends and memories that will last a lifetime.

“Just beautiful to see the community come together and have one purpose which is supporting our school teams,” Mouyeme said.

The Yotes next game will be in Caldwell against Southern Oregon. And you will likely find Anderson and Mouyeme at the tailgate right before kick off.