Contact: James Carskadon
STARKVILLE, Miss.—With Mississippi State University set to host the University of Florida for Saturday’s [Sept. 29] primetime SEC football matchup, fans and campus visitors are urged to be mindful of gameday policies, as well as road closures relating to the game and SEC Nation, airing live from the Junction that day.
With a sellout crowd expected on campus for Saturday’s game, fans who tailgate are reminded to pick up after themselves and properly dispose of all trash, especially food waste. Garbage (black bags) and recycling (blue or green bags) should be sealed and left for collection at tailgating locations or disposed of in a trash or recycling container. Black, blue and green bags are available on the poles located throughout gameday areas.
SEC Nation, the SEC Network’s traveling college football live morning show, will be broadcast on Saturday from 9-11 a.m. CST prior to the 5 p.m. matchup between the Bulldogs and the Gators on ESPN. Additionally, “The Paul Finebaum Show” will be live from 2-6 p.m. Friday [Sept. 28] from the Junction and feature special guests. Fans are encouraged to attend both shows.
In anticipation of the production requirements of SEC Nation, Creelman Street access via Stone Boulevard will close Wednesday [Sept. 26] at 7 p.m. University personnel wishing to access Creelman Street (McCarthy Gym area) and the Lloyd Ricks Watson parking lots will be able to do so from President’s Circle only. Access to Creelman from Tracy Drive also will be closed.
On Thursday and Friday afternoons from 4-6 p.m., George Perry Street–between the YMCA Building and Chapel of Memories–will open for northbound exit traffic only. This will give those in the affected area an alternate exit route.
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 closure should make plans to take an alternate route to access Creelman and Lloyd Ricks Watson parking lots on Thursday and Friday mornings of this week.
Here’s a timeline that will be beneficial to MSU students, faculty and campus visitors over the weekend:
Thursday, Sept. 27
–Campus shuttles will reroute around President’s Circle Thursday and Friday. Shuttle routes affected by this closure will be re-routed to the Montgomery Hall shuttle stop via President's Circle and Bully Boulevard.
–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, Sept. 28
–The Junction will open at 4 p.m., but patrons will not have access to portions of Creelman Street for unloading tailgating equipment. Please be mindful of the influx on Stone Boulevard as traffic leaves campus at the end of the day and as traffic arrives to drop off tailgating tents.
–Any commuter decal can park in any commuter zone on Friday.
–B.S Hood Drive will close at 2 p.m. Friday
Saturday, Sept. 29
–Portions of Stone Boulevard will close at 1 p.m. in anticipation of the Fan Zone opening.
–Stadium gates open at 2:45 p.m. Fans should arrive early and be mindful of MSU’s new security policies, which include the use of metal detectors at all stadium entry points. For more, see www.hailstate.com/metaldetector.
–This is the first SEC game at home, so fines for improper use of cowbells will be strictly enforced. RING RESPONSIBLY.
–Dawg Walk at 3 p.m. WILL NOT change routes because of SEC Nation.
–ADA North, ADA South, Reserved RV/Wise Center, Research Park, Davis Wade Express, and Horsepark shuttle routes for Saturday will run four hours before kickoff, starting at 1 p.m., and continue two hours after the end of the game.
In addition to the road closures related to SEC Nation, fans should also remain aware of MSU’s parking, transit and postgame egress procedures for 2018. For more, see https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2018/08/football-fans-encouraged-review-msu-gameday-information-policies/.
With the exception of service animals, pets are prohibited on the MSU campus beginning at noon the day before a game. If a pet is brought to campus at any point, owners are reminded to clean up after their pets.
For a complete gameday guide, visit www.hailstate.com/gameday.
MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.