Ahead of Mississippi State’s season opener this Saturday [Sept. 5] against the Warhawks of University of Louisiana Monroe, the university is reminding football fans about safety precautions and other campus updates. With a 6:30 p.m. kickoff in Davis Wade Stadium, gates open two hours before the game.
The Junction is MSU’s premier gameday tailgating area and one of the most iconic in the Southeastern Conference. Changes to MSU tailgating structures and regulations made in 2025 to optimize fan and family safety continue for the 2026 season, with an exclusive MSU student tailgating area in the Amphitheater and Southern Tradition Tailgating in The Junction. Public areas are in front of Barnes & Noble or the Agricultural and Biological Engineering Building, among other areas, on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to the continued renovation of Dorman Hall, the tailgating area between Dorman Hall and Creelman street will not be available.
Dawg Walk (photo by Emily Grace McCall.)
“We’re excited about the 2026 football season and look forward to another outstanding tailgating experience for our Bulldog family,” said MSU Vice President for Strategic Communications Sid Salter, who leads the university’s Game Day Committee. “The university’s leadership has taken additional steps this year to ensure our gameday fan experience is safe, secure, and responsive to our patrons and guests. We strive each year to make The Junction and the rest of our campus the epicenter of great weekends in Starkville and the Golden Triangle.”
Students should make sure personal tents or supplies are placed to the south of the sidewalk in the Amphitheater and not on the stage. An MSU Police Tent will be set-up at the top of the Amphitheater hill for gameday assistance. You must follow all general tailgating guidelines as well as the MSU Student Code of Conduct.
All tailgating areas will open at 4 p.m. the day before a game. (Exception: There may be conflicts if Friday night concerts are hosted but students will be notified of any other exceptions).
Fans can visit hailstate.com/gameday for the most current gameday information, and up-to-the-minute transportation details will be available at transportation.msstate.edu/gameday.
Gameday parking on campus is reserved for Bulldog Club members or is available for purchase using a debit or credit card. Multiple roads close on campus on gamedays with most roads only being accessible by those with a valid reserved or paid gameday permit. ESPNU is broadcasting the MSU-ULM contest.
General Tailgating Rules and Guidelines
REMINDER: Personal tents or supplies may not be placed in tailgating areas to hold tailgating spots until 5 a.m. the day before home football games. You cannot set up your personal tent until Friday at 4 p.m.
- All picnic areas close at midnight daily. MSU is not responsible for any tailgate items left before, during, or after the game.
- No non-MSU-provided amplified music will be allowed in The Junction. TVs and radios will be allowed, but large speakers or elevated speakers will NOT be allowed.
- Do not block sidewalk spaces. Only set-up in designated grass areas.
- No wheeled vehicles or trailers are permitted (i.e. large grills that are pulled with a vehicle).
- Generators are allowed, but battery inverters are preferred.
- Charcoal grills are allowed, but charcoal must be fully extinguished and disposed of in a responsible manner. Fire pits are not allowed.
- Garbage (black bags) and recycling (green bags) should be sealed and left for collection at your tailgating location or disposed of in a trash or recycling container. Black and green bags are available on the poles located throughout gameday areas.
- The university will follow local ordinances and state laws regarding alcohol.
- Small tents are permitted in public areas and the Amphitheater. No stakes larger than 1/4 inch in diameter and no longer than 6 inches. No ropes. Larger tents must be rented from Southern Tradition Tailgating, the tailgate services and tent services provider for the MSU campus. All fans wishing to acquire tailgate services (small pop-up tents) or tent services (large tents) should coordinate directly with Southern Tradition Tailgating at www.SouthernTraditionTailgating.com or SouthernTraditionTailgate@yahoo.com. (Anyone charging for setting up more than 10 tailgate setups is NOT allowed on the MSU campus. Any fan acquiring services from a service that is not allowed on campus should understand they may be removed from campus.)
- University departments interested in tent services should contact MSU Event Services at 662-325-3228.
- Connection to university utilities is strictly prohibited.
- Pets are prohibited on campus beginning at noon the day before a game, except for service animals as prescribed by law.
- Loading zones are available prior to gameday road closures. Loading zone use is limited to 5 minutes, with a person remaining with the vehicle.
- Fans should pull to the curb, unload supplies by the curb, and immediately proceed to designated parking areas.
- Safety lanes must remain clear and unobstructed.
- Smoke-Free means that smoking in any form is prohibited on the MSU campus including: Cigarettes | E-Cigarettes | Cigars | Pipes | Hookah | Similar Devices. For full details, please visit www.smokefree.msstate.edu.
- Davis Wade Stadium will again be fully cashless in 2026. Fans are encouraged to bring their debit or credit card or purchase a pre-paid card at a local bank or retail store prior to visiting campus.
Parking Lot Ingress and Egress
REMINDER: Reserved parking lot ingress and egress is only allowed via certain streets. Please visit www.transportation.msstate.edu to familiarize yourself with road closures, roadblocks, and the required route into and out of your parking area.
Road Closures, Friday and Saturday
—B.S. Hood Drive closes at 2 p.m. Friday and remains closed until roads open post-game; Barr Avenue from Collegeview Drive to Garner Circle closes at 8 p.m. on Friday and will remain closed until roads open post-game; Stone Boulevard from Hwy. 12 to Bully Boulevard closes on Saturday from four hours pre-game or three hours pre-game for an 11 a.m. kickoff until roads open post-game; Bost Drive Extended from Old Bully Boulevard to Stone Boulevard closes on Saturday from four hours pre-game or three hours pre-game for an 11 a.m. kickoff until roads open post-game; Clyde Sheely Drive at Bully Boulevard closes at 7 p.m. on Friday and will open for Greek North Access Credential holders Saturday morning, and then reclose Saturday after the game and remain closed until early Sunday morning; and Clyde Sheely Drive at Stone Boulevard will close on Saturday morning until roads open post-game.
Roadblocks beginning Saturday 4 hours before kickoff or 3 hours before 11 a.m. game
—Collegeview Drive and Bailey Howell Drive intersection; University Drive at Camp St.; Hardy St. at Rula Engineering Building ; Bully Blvd. and Old Bully Blvd.
Roadblocks beginning Saturday 4 hours before kickoff or 3 hours before 11 a.m. game
—Collegeview Drive and Hwy. 12 off ramp; University Drive at Camp St.; Hardy St. and Blackjack Road; Bully Blvd. and Old Bully Blvd.; and Bost Dr. at Lot 28.
Transit Services
Free transit service is provided by Starkville-MSU Area Rapid Transit (SMART) on gamedays from various on- and off-campus locations to Newell Grissom, the intersection of Collegeview Drive and Barr Avenue, and Old Main Academic Center. For schedules, routes and stops, visit https://www.smart.msstate.edu.
From Research Park Public Parking Area (North Campus | Hwy. 182)
- North Campus transit service is provided from 100 Research Blvd. (Public ADA Parking) and other Public Parking areas in the Park to Old Main Academic Center (4 hours prior to kick off until 2 hours after game)
From Wise Center and Rec Plex (South Campus | Blackjack Road and Hail State Blvd.)
- South Campus transit service is provided from the Animal and Dairy Sciences (Public ADA Parking) lot and other Public Parking areas on Wise Center Drive to Newell Grissom (4 hours prior to kick off until 2 hours after game)
From Davis Wade Express (Lampkin and Jackson Sts.)
- Provided from the Lampkin St. and Jackson St. intersection to the intersection of College View Street and Barr Avenue (4 hours prior to kick off until 2 hours after game). Given the construction in downtown Starkville, this route will operate with one shuttle instead of two as it has in previous years. Capacity will be reduced, and headways will be increased. We encourage those that have utilized this route to use the Starkville Central SMART route or use the North or South Campus park and ride facilities mentioned above.
SMART Routes
Routes provide continuous service Monday-Saturday, including gameday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. or until 2 hours after game (whichever is later).
- Starkville Central SMART Route: Walmart Supercenter, Kroger, Avenue of Patriots, Whitfield Street, Greensboro Street, Methodist Church, Starkville Daily News to the intersection of College View Drive and Barr Avenue.
- Starkville South SMART Route: Walmart Supercenter, Kroger, Medicaid, Sportsplex, Lynn Lane, Loxley Way, Wise Center, and Animal Dairy Science to Newell Grissom
- Starkville Northeast SMART Route: OCH, Reed Place, Garrard Road West and East, Walmart Neighborhood Market, Starkville Flatts to Old Main Academic Center
- Bus tracking information can be found by visiting www.smart.msstate.edu.
From Mississippi Horse Park
- Transit Service is provided from the Mississippi Horse Park to Newell Grissom (4 hours prior to kick off until 2 hours after game)
- RV reservations with the Mississippi Horse Park are required. No coolers are allowed on any MSU Transit buses. Visit https://mshorsepark.com for more information.
Rideshare
- The designated pick-up and drop-off location for rideshare will once again be on Collegeview Drive at the Soccer Fieldhouse.
Restroom Locations
- Buildings—Allen, Hilbun, Bost Extension “B,” Butler-Williams/MSUPD, Colvard Union, McArthur, Newell-Grisham, Roberts, Soccer Press Box, Welcome Center
- Trailers—Fresh Foods, Junction Jane and Johns
- Portables—Bost, East Herbert/IED, Herzer, Pace Seed grass, and Sorority grass lots; Amphitheater, North Garage-east, east and west Wise Center (Vet School), West Dorman (moved from east side); Research Park bus stop
Eateries for Saturday
Perry Food Hall
1921 Café 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.; 5-8 p.m.
Beet Drop: 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Bark: 8:30-10:30 a.m.; 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Starbucks: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
State Fountain Bakery: 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
Subway: 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Azalea Hall
State Slice: 12 p.m.-12 a.m.
Maroon Market: 24 Hours
Colvard Student Union
Chick-Fil-A: 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
Panda Express: 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
Union POD: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
C-Stores
Hathorn: 5-9 p.m.
Wise Center: 24 Hours
Griffis: 24 Hours
Basic first aid is available at the MSU Police tents set up in The Junction.
Tickets are available for the game and can be purchased now at HailState.com/tickets, by calling 1-888-GO-DAWGS or in person at the MSU Athletic Ticket Office, first floor, Bryan Athletic Administration Building (288 Lakeview Drive), Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. The ticket office on the north side of Davis Wade Stadium also opens three hours before kickoff.
Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters. Learn more at www.msstate.edu.