With the eyes of the nation’s college football audience focused on the state of 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, some changes will come to the normal game-day 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. Saturday 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 Boulevard will be close Thursday morning, 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 so that they 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 this weekend:
Today
n University Drive will close at 2 a.m. Friday through Saturday morning to begin setting up for Bulldog Bash.
n 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.
n Any commuter decal can park in any commuter zone
Saturday
n B.S. Hood will close at 6 a.m.
n Portions for Stone Boulevard will close at 8 a.m. in anticipation of the C-Spire Fan Zone opening.
n A loading/unloading zone will be set up on Saturday in front of the YMCA Building for fans.
n 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.
n Walker Road will be off limits to all non-credentialed patrons as normal.
n Stadium gates open at 8:45 a.m. Fans should arrive early.
n This is the first SEC game at home, so fines for improper use of cowbells will be strictly enforced. Ring responsibly.
n Dawg Walk at 9 a.m. won’t change routes because of SEC Nation
n Shuttle Routes for Saturday will run three hours before kickoff (8 a.m.) and two hours after the end of the game
Shuttles
n 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.
n Thad Cochran Research Park – Runs from Research Park to Humphrey Coliseum.
n Davis Wade Express – Picks up at Starkville Daily News and drops off at Giles Hall.
n S.M.A.R.T Downtown Route – Starkville Electric, Regions Bank, Bank of Commerce, Stromboli’s, Catholic Church, Sweet Peppers to Giles Hall.
n For additional transportation choices that run throughout Starkville, but do not run on campus visit www.smart.msstate.edu.
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