Fans urged to plan for road closures, game day adjustments for Texas A&M game

Contact: Sid Salter

Large crowds are expected for this weekend's football showdown between Mississippi State University and the Texas A&M Aggies. It's a key Southeastern Conference Western Division battle of unbeaten teams, with the SEC Network's traveling college football morning show, SEC Nation, on campus.
Large crowds are expected for this weekend's football showdown between Mississippi State University and the Texas A&M Aggies. It's a key Southeastern Conference Western Division battle of unbeaten teams, with the SEC Network's traveling college football morning show, SEC Nation, on campus.
Photo by: Megan Bean

With the eyes of the nation's college football audience focused intently on Mississippi this weekend as Mississippi State University hosts the Texas A&M Aggies in a key Southeastern Conference Western Division battle of unbeaten teams on Saturday, Oct. 4, some changes will come to the normal gameday routine at Davis Wade Stadium and in the Junction.

MSU will also for the first time host SEC Nation, the SEC Network's traveling college football morning show, in the Junction on Saturday prior to the game between the Bulldogs and the Aggies.

The show airs live from 9-11 a.m. CT and will lead into the Bulldogs' 11 a.m. kickoff against the Aggies on ESPN. The SEC Nation lineup features former NFL/SEC players Tim Tebow and Marcus Spears, host Joe Tessitore, talk radio host Paul Finebaum and reporter Kaylee Hartung.

University officials announced that in anticipation of the production requirements of SEC Nation, Creelman Street access via Stone Blvd. will be closed on Thursday morning at 7 a.m., but that university personnel wishing to access the Creelman Street (McCarthy Gym area) and the Lloyd Ricks Watson (LRW) parking lots will be able to do so from President's Circle only. Access to Creelman from Tracy Drive will also be closed.

Campus buses will be allowed to enter Creelman St. from President's Circle to pick up passengers at the Montgomery Hall bus shelters. Faculty, staff and students housed in buildings located in the affected area of this street closure may make plans to take an alternate route to access Creelman and LRW parking lots on Thursday and Friday morning of this week.

Here's a timeline that will be beneficial to MSU students and faculty and to visitors to campus over the long weekend:

Thursday, Oct. 2

--Portion of Creelman Street will close at 7 a.m. Thursday from Tracy Drive to Stone Blvd.

--Campus shuttles will reroute around President's Circle Thursday and Friday. Shuttle routes that will be affected by this closure will be re-routed to the Montgomery Hall shuttle stop via President's Circle and Bully Blvd. This information will be posted on the Parking and Transit website and on the www.smart.msstate.edu website as well.

--Large equipment may cause some traffic issues with tractors/trailers going to and from the SEC Nation set area and with staging for the show.

--Students should use caution changing classes in this area Thursday and Friday.

--The university is working to make sure no public tailgating areas are impacted by the additional space requirements for SEC Network guests.

Friday, Oct. 3

--University Drive will close at 2 a.m. Friday through Saturday morning to begin setting up for Bulldog Bash.

--Junction will still open at 4 p.m., but patrons will not have access to portions of Creelman St. for unloading tailgating equipment. Please be mindful of the influx on Stone Blvd. as traffic leaves campus as it closes and traffic arrives to drop off tailgating supplies.

--Friday any commuter decal can park in any commuter zone.

Saturday, Oct. 4

--B.S. Hood will close at 6 a.m. Saturday.

--Portions for Stone Blvd. will close at 8 a.m. in anticipation of the C-Spire Fan Zone opening.

--Walker Rd. will be off limits to all non-credentialed patrons as normal. However, a loading/unloading zone will be set up on Saturday in front of the YMCA Building for fans. To assist with unloading supplies there will be a loading zone in front of YMCA, but access to it will close 8 a.m. Saturday to non-credentialed patrons.

--Stadium gates open at 8:45 a.m. Fans should arrive early.

--This is the first SEC game at home, so fines for improper use of cowbells will be strictly enforced. RING RESPONSIBLY.

--Dawg Walk at 9 a.m. WILL NOT change routes because of SEC Nation

--Shuttle Routes for Saturday will run three hours before kickoff (8 a.m.) and two hours after the end of the game

SHUTTLES:

--Reserved RV/Wise Center - Picks up at Lot 29 and 31 and on the northwest corner of the Wise Center and drops off at Thompson Hall.

--Thad Cochran Research Park - Runs from Research Park to Humphrey Coliseum.

--Davis Wade Express - Picks up at Starkville Daily News and drops off at Giles Hall.

--S.M.A.R.T Downtown Route - Starkville Electric, Regions Bank, Bank of Commerce, Stromboli's, Catholic Church, Sweet Peppers to Giles Hall.

--For additional transportation choices that run throughout Starkville, but do not run on campus visit www.smart.msstate.edu.