Anyone who has attended a Mississippi State University football game in the past few years has likely caught a glimpse of guys in the student section showing exceptional school spirit with maroon and white torsos and outlandish hats, rooting for the home team as hard as they can.
This group of students have not been around for a long time, but they have been around long enough to stir up recognition from other students, alumni and even the team.
Although their strong personalities are easily noticeable, the brotherhood shared by the group might not be immediately obvious.
The group, also known as the “Paint Up Crew,” has been a part MSU football games since the 2014 season. Formed by two alumni during the 2014 season, the group began as an idea to make the football games more enjoyable for those involved, as well as to show their appreciation to the team.
James Chilsom, a fifth-year senior, said the group originally came together largely by chance.
“I had brought it up to somebody, and my buddy, Drew, his brother had painted before, and he said, ‘Oh I been wanting to do that…’ Then everybody else were like, ‘Yeah I’m in,’” Chilsom said.
Walker Sayle, a junior electrical engineering major, said the original group consisted of a few guys living in the basement of McKey Hall, with other students joining over time.
Since the group formed in 2014, Paint Up Crew was along for the ride when MSU became the No. 1 team in the nation.
During the season, a then No. 2 ranked Bulldogs defeated No. 3 ranked Auburn to become the No. 1 team in the nation.
Sayle said after the win MSU football head coach Dan Mullen threw his visor at the group in the stands, and Sayle caught it.
“That was the coolest thing to me personally,” Sayle said.
The Paint Up Crew’s popularity rises each season. Walker said since they have been painting up, the group has frequently heard from alumni and other students who admire the passion the group shows.
Chilsom said his parents will tell him about how they and their friends back home in Hickory Wood, Tennessee, will try to look for him on television when the Bulldogs are playing.
When you see the Paint Up Crew at an MSU football game, there should be no doubt they are having fun, because it is obvious to anyone watching.
“The camaraderie is always nice,” Sayle said.
Although the members of the Paint Up Crew enjoy the group’s camaraderie, getting prepared for the games is not always easy. Chilsom said the most difficult games for the group are 11 a.m. games.
The Paint Up Crew, no matter how difficult it may be to get ready for a game, what challenge the weather may be, nor if the Bulldogs might be going through a bad game, they always enjoy coming together to show their love for the ones who go out on Davis Wade Stadium.
The atmosphere of the games is never a concern for the Paint Up Crew, because they are the ones to set the atmosphere when they are in the stands.
Attendees of Thursday’s game and viewers at home can expect to see these young men show their pride through whatever is painted on their chests.