Mississippi State

Starkville’s day centers on the Junction. The Dawg Walk comes through there on the way into Davis Wade Stadium. Know whether your spot is a picnic zone before you pop a tent.

Must see / do

Around campus

• The Junction is where the day sits. Tents fill in between the rail remnants and the Cullis Wade Depot homage, with bronze Bully statues at the south and east entrances. It opens at 4:00 p.m. the day before a home game, per Hail State.
• The Dawg Walk comes through the center of the Junction toward Davis Wade with the Famous Maroon Band and the drumline. Secondary pages and Visit guides often put it about 2 hours before kick. Check that week’s Hail State gameday page and the A–Z. There isn’t a locked minute.
• Cowbells are the noisemaker. Inside the stadium they sit under SEC regulated windows, so use the current A–Z and don’t guess the ring rules. Out in the Junction it’s looser. The Davis Wade walk-up is the payoff after the Walk. That’s the doorstep, not a far lot.

Before the game

• Downtown Starkville, StarkVegas, fills up. There isn’t an official clock for when.
• Grab the transportation gameday map before you commit to a parking or shuttle plan. These notes don’t carry a gate clock. Don’t add one.

On the lot

• The Junction is the picnic footprint. Shuttles and the transportation maps get you there. Know if your spot is a picnic zone before the tent comes out.
• Small pop-ups, charcoal, and the pet cutoff are in the overview. The page doesn’t give you a full cook code beyond that. Don’t fill the gap.

Overview

• Tailgate areas open at 4:00 p.m. the day before. Personal tents not before Friday at 4:00 p.m. Spot-holding gear not before 5:00 a.m. the day before. Picnic areas close at midnight daily.
• 2025 wording: the Junction is Southern Tradition Tailgating. Students use the Amphitheater. Public options near Dorman, B&N, and Ag Eng are first come. Re-check Hail State each August.
• Small tents are OK in public areas and the Amphitheater. Stakes 1/4 inch in diameter or less, and 6 inches or shorter. No ropes. Larger tents go through Southern Tradition only.
• Charcoal is OK if you put it fully out. No fire pits. Generators are OK, and battery inverters are preferred. No wheeled trailers or large pull-grills.
• No non-MSU amplified music in the Junction. TV and radio are fine. No large or elevated speakers.
• No university utility hookups. Pets are banned from noon the day before, service animals excepted. Keep the safety lanes clear and leave a 12-foot pedestrian buffer.
• Alcohol follows local and state law. Smoke-free campus.

The written rules and what an officer calls that Saturday aren’t always the same. Confirm yours the week of the game.

Map

Official policy

MSU Newsroom — Junction / gameday rules (+ Hail State A–Z) →

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