Every fall the Mississippi State football schedule brings exciting SEC action back to the MSU campus. It also heralds the return of tailgating in the Junction.
What began as a tradition in parking lots before, during and after the game, in recent years has become a vibrant tent community that springs up from the shadows of Davis-Wade Stadium.
The colors of the tents may be the same — maroon and white — but the people, the passion and especially the foods beneath are as diverse as can be.
Take, for instance, the International Tailgate, located in a great spot on the lawn of Memorial Hall, across from the north endzone of Scott Field.
Yasma Jacobs, who works for the Office of International Education, was enjoying some great food before the game and said, while the sign says international, it is part of an effort of not only her office, but local groups as well.
“It’s one big collaboration of the International Education Office, the local studies class and the Lions Club of Starkville,” she said. “So it’s three different organizations. We just collaborated and had one big event.”
Jacobs said their tailgate is not just for international students, and anyone is welcome to stop by, share food and meet new people from just about anywhere.
“If you look around you, you see our international students, their American friends. People that they’ve met since they’ve been here,” she said. “So we have a good mix of internationals and Americans here. And the countries represented are from all over the world. International tailgate is not only for international students, but also for Americans to learn more about the international population here in Starkville.”
The highlight of many tailgates is the food, and this tailgate does not disappoint.
“We have international tailgate food and regular tailgate food,” she said. “The food is the same, but they may put a different seasoning on it. Some of the students brought food themselves, and the Lions Club brought some. We have a big Asian population, and they have Asian supermarkets, local or in Memphis, that they bring things from, like shrimp chips.”
Jacobs said they were posting photos to their Facebook group for Mississippi State’s English as a Second Language Center, where they also announce upcoming events for international students. The center’s website can be found at http://www.eslc.msstate.edu/
Moving on around the stadium, you might think right in front of the police station would be a strange place to hold an all-day party, but you would actually  be wrong.
A large network of tents can be found on Bell Island, which sits between Lee Boulevard and Walker Road, just southwest of the stadium. Carrie and Chess Rybolt of Starkville have their tailgate set up in this prime spot, and said they have been there for years. Their tents link up to their neighbors to form an even larger complex.
“We’re spread out pretty far,” Chess said. “We take care of each other out here. We share resources, generator, DirecTV and all that stuff.”
Rybolt said he and his wife wait just outside campus for the 5 p.m. start time Friday, which is when the university allows tailgaters to begin setting up but that they have never had problems getting the same location.
“We’ve been here five or six years,” he said. “We get out here early on Friday so that nobody gets this spot, but we’ve never really had any trouble. Most people who come and tailgate, they honor the tailgate code. It’s an unspoken rule; you let people keep their spot.”
What puts this area over the top is its location. He said it is the perfect spot for interacting with fans, both those wearing maroon and those wearing something else.
“We stand on the wall and handshake everybody who walks out of here,” Chess said. “The opposing teams, win or lose, we stand out here and shake their hands. Most of them are receptive. We’ve had a few younger people, like the Auburn game this year; they gave us a little bit of crap. We like hanging out here so we can watch the team buses coming in, and we like to watch them leave, ringing our cowbells.”
If interacting with other fans is a prerequisite for tailgating, one tent has found the recipe to ensure just that.
Daryl and Rubye Guest set up their tent between the Cullis Wade Depot parking lot and the northwest corner of the stadium.
But what makes their tailgate unique is not the tent, the television or even the food on their grill: it’s the sign they hang on the side, which can be seen from several parts of the stadium. Daryl said the sign represents the spirit of his tailgate.
“The sign we got in 2007, when we played Ole Miss,” he said. “Then, the next season, we decided we would use it for every game, since we believe that every game. And this year we’ve added the second sign. One was not enough.”
“It’s amazing how many people come by and ask to take their picture with the sign,” said Rubye Guest.
Daryl said if only he would start charging, his loud and proud “Go to Hell Ole Miss” sign would make him a rich man.
“If I had a dollar for every time people have asked for that, I’d be a millionaire,” he said. “Because we’ve had thousands of people get pictures with the sign. You can see it coming out and from all over the stadium.”
Daryl said he has never heard anything from Ole Miss fans about his sign, not even in his family.
“If we put it up in Oxford I’m sure it would be a problem, but not here,” he said. “In fact, my brother tailgates with us, and his wife went to Ole Miss. She’s just pretty quiet when we’re out here. It works out really well.”
Daryl said he wants to have something special to welcome TSUN fans next season.
“I’m sure we’ll come up with something for next year when the Black Bears come visit,” he said. “We haven’t had much time to prepare since that just went into effect, but we’ll come up with something.”
As quickly as the tailgating community springs up before a game, it comes down even faster after. But with the passion of Bulldog fans and the way they have embraced tailgating in the Junction, you can bet it is a tradition that will continue to grow in the years to come.