With the first football home game of the 2008 season looming tomorrow, campus has been abuzz with activity. University workers are erecting tents, placing traffic barricades, mowing grass and putting the final touches on the game day preparations that make the thrill of an MSU home game a reality.
Despite the recent activity in and around Davis Wade Stadium and the Junction, preparations for the first home game were taking place over the summer as game operations student workers toiled to make sure the stadium was ready to accept visitors.
“We’ve been working all summer painting and cleaning the stadium,” Brandon Jennings, a senior physical education major and student worker, said. “It took all summer to just power wash all of the bleachers and steps with just two pressure washers.”
Facilities management personnel have been working since Wednesday to install tents on the western side of the Junction near the MSU Amphitheater.
In addition, larger tents for the MSU Alumni Association and College of Arts and Sciences are being erected in the middle of the Junction.
In addition to the familiarity of the tents and charcoal grills of game day, a new fixture takes its place in the home game atmosphere.
A life-size bronze casting of the current live MSU mascot, TaTonka, will be officially unveiled Saturday at 3:15 p.m. at the entrance to the “Dawg Walk” across the street from Dorman Hall.
The former bulldog statue that resided at that location was on loan from the Student Association and has since returned to its home in front of the Colvard Student Union.
The new Bully statue has been in place on the south side of the Junction since Aug. 22, but the Saturday event will officially present it to the Bulldog family.
Sculpted by Eupora artist Edmond Shumpert, the statue is a true to life representation of TaTonka complete with the leather harness that is worn at every MSU game.
Speakers at the unveiling are to include: Interim MSU President Vance Watson, athletic director Greg Byrne and Shumpert.
MSU special events coordinator Jennifer Glaze said the event is open to Bulldogs of all ages.
“We want to invite everybody to come to the unveiling and see our new mascot on the Junction,” Glaze said.
The new statue of Bully is not the only new addition to the Junction and stadium area.
The south end zone of Scott Field will feature the complete spelling of Mississippi State on the end zone grounds.
This is the first season in which the University’s full name will be spelled out.
In the past, the University’s moniker has been shortened to just “Miss. State” when portrayed on the grass inside the goal line.
MSU grounds services has also been in full swing ensuring the Junction is at its game day best.
“We’ve been making sure all the grass is mowed before the tents start showing up. We’ve been laying a lot of sod trying to dress some areas up before Saturday,” said grounds services operations coordinator Ricky Brock.
No major changes have been implemented for this year’s home games.
MSU officials will enforce the rule that no tents larger than 12 feet-by-12 feet will be allowed on the Junction.
In addition, no tents, other than official MSU tents placed by MSU workers, will be allowed to have tent stakes and tie down ropes.