With the eyes of the nation's college football audience again focused intently on Starkville this weekend as No. 3 Mississippi State University hosts the No. 2 Auburn Tigers in a key Southeastern Conference Western Division battle of unbeaten teams on Saturday [Oct. 11], some changes will come to the normal game day routine at Davis Wade Stadium and The Junction.
MSU will also for the first time host ESPN College GameDay, the network's traveling college football morning show, in The Junction on Saturday prior to the game between the Bulldogs and the Tigers.
The show airs live from 8-11 a.m. and will lead into the Bulldogs' 2:30 p.m. kickoff against the Tigers on CBS with broadcaster Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson.
The ESPN College GameDay lineup features Desmond Howard, Lee Corso, Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit.
University officials announced that in anticipation of the production requirements of College GameDay, Creelman Street access via Stone Road will be closed on Wednesday night [Oct. 8] at 9:30 p.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. Access to Creelman from Tracy Drive will also be closed.
Due to Cowbell Yell at 9:30 p.m. on Friday night [Oct. 10], Barr Avenue and B.S. Hood will close Friday night at 7:30 p.m.
Campus buses will be allowed to enter Creelman Street 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 closures should 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, faculty, staff and visitors to campus over the next few days:
Wednesday [Oct. 8]
-- Portion of Creelman Street will close at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday from Tracy Drive to Stone Blvd.
Thursday [Oct. 9]
-- Creelman Street from Tracy Drive to Stone Blvd. closed.
-- 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 Boulevard. This information will be posted on the Parking and Transit website and at www.smart.msstate.edu.
-- Expect large equipment to cause some traffic issues, such as tractor/trailers coming and going from the ESPN College GameDay set area. 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 our ESPN College GameDay guests.
Friday [Oct. 10]
-- Barr Avenue and B.S. Hood will close at 7:30 p.m. Friday, and perhaps earlier, through Saturday morning for Cowbell Yell.
-- The Junction will open at 4 p.m. 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.
Saturday [Oct. 11]
-- Creelman, B.S. Hood and Barr will remain closed.
-- A loading/unloading zone will be setup on Saturday in front of the YMCA Building for tailgating fans, but access to it will close 8 a.m. Saturday to non-credentialed patrons, e.g. Butler Guest House pass, Lot 32 pass.
-- Walker Road will be off limits to all non-credentialed patrons as normal.
-- This is an SEC game at home so fines for improper use of cowbells will be strictly enforced
--11:30 a.m. Athletic Ticket Office located in the lower level North End Zone adjacent to Mississippi Plaza opens. The game is sold out.
--11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. C Spire Fan Zone where fans can have their pictures taken with Bully and current student-athletes while enjoying the inflatable games and giveaways surrounding Bully's Kids Club, sponsored by Chick-Fil-A. Festivities also include the live pregame radio broadcast and giveaways of the game day stickers.
-- 12:15 p.m. Gates Open At Davis Wade Stadium.
-- Approximately 12:30 p.m. Dawg Walk -- Join the Famous Maroon Band and spirit groups as they welcome Coach Dan Mullen and the Bulldogs to Davis Wade Stadium. Dawg Walk will not change routes because of ESPN College GameDay.
-- Approximately 1:30 p.m. Parade to Davis Wade Stadium -- Bring out your cowbells and get ready for kickoff with the Famous Maroon Band as they perform the traditional march through The Junction!
--2:30 p.m. Kickoff
Parking and Transportation
-- Shuttle routes for Saturday will run three hours before kickoff and two hours after the end of the game.
-- 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.