Can't miss
- Cowbells Bring one, or borrow one: ringing them is Mississippi State's oldest game-day tradition, and the sound is like nothing else in the SEC.
- The Junction The tailgating heart of campus by the stadium: tents packed edge to edge on the grass, and the team's Dawg Walk comes through it.
Quick answers
When can you set up a tailgate at Mississippi State?
Tailgating areas open at 4 p.m. the day before the game, and that's the earliest a personal tent can go up. Supplies can't be left to hold a spot before 5 a.m. that day. Game-day parking lots open at 7 or 8 a.m., depending on kickoff.
Can you grill at Mississippi State tailgates?
Charcoal grills are allowed, as long as the charcoal is fully put out and disposed of responsibly. Fire pits aren't allowed, and neither are large grills towed behind a vehicle.
Can you drink at Mississippi State tailgates?
MSU says it follows local ordinances and state law on alcohol, and drinking under 21 is illegal. Davis Wade Stadium is cashless.
Do you need a ticket to tailgate at Mississippi State?
No ticket rule is posted for the public tailgating areas, which are first come, first served. The Junction is reserved tailgating through the campus provider, and the Amphitheater is for MSU students.
How do you buy parking at Mississippi State?
Campus game-day parking is reserved for Bulldog Club members or sold in advance through MSU's parking partner, PMC. Grass lots go on sale at 8:30 a.m. the Friday before, weather permitting. Every lot is cashless.
The game-day timeline
- Fri 5 AMSupplies can be placed to hold a tailgate spot
- Fri 10 AMReserved RV lots open
- Fri 4 PMTailgating areas open and personal tents go up
- MidnightPicnic areas close, every night
- Game day 7 or 8 AMParking lots open, earlier for late-morning kickoffs
- 4 hrs beforeCentral campus roads close (3 hrs for an 11 a.m. kickoff) and free gameday transit starts
- About 2 hrs 15 min beforeFans line the Junction's brick walkway for the Dawg Walk (2026 opener)
- 2 hrs beforeGates open
- 2 hrs afterGameday transit stops
- Next day 7 AMParking areas cleared
Where to park
Campus parking on game day is Bulldog Club reserved or bought in advance. Everything is cashless.
- Public pay lots
- Grass and paved lots near the stadium, sold in advance through PMC. Grass lots go on sale the Friday before at 8:30 a.m. and depend on the weather.
- Park and ride
- Research Park, Vet School, Wise Center and RecPlex lots, with free gameday transit to campus.
- Reserved
- Bulldog Club lots, marked by a number or a letter.
- RV
- Public RVs park at the Mississippi Horse Park, south of campus, by reservation, with transit to Newell-Grissom. Reserved RV lots open at 10 a.m. Friday.
- Accessible
- North ADA at Thad Cochran Research Park and South ADA at the Animal and Dairy Science Building, with ADA transit and carts from 4 hours before kickoff to 2 hours after.
- Rules
- No saving spaces. No tents, tables or chairs in parking spaces or on sidewalks.
Loading zones are 5 minutes, and someone has to stay with the car. Pull to the curb, unload, then go park.
Central campus roads close 4 hours before kickoff, or 3 for an 11 a.m. kickoff. Most open only to cars with a reserved or paid permit.
No car? SMART transit is free on game days, from 4 hours before kickoff to 2 hours after, including the Davis Wade Express from Lampkin and Jackson Streets downtown. Coolers aren't allowed on MSU transit buses.
The rules
Rules last verified Oct 14, 2026 against msstate.edu, transportation.msstate.edu and hailstate.com.
MSU rebuilt its tailgating rules in 2025 and kept them for 2026. Here are the ones that matter on the lawn.
- Grills
- Charcoal grills are allowed. Put the charcoal out fully and dispose of it responsibly. No fire pits.
- Tents
- Small tents in public areas, with stakes no wider than 1/4 inch or longer than 6 inches, and no ropes. Larger tents are rented from Southern Tradition.
- Not allowed
- Trailers and towed grills, hookups to university utilities, and tailgate services charging for more than 10 setups.
- Power and sound
- Generators are allowed, battery inverters preferred. In the Junction, no amplified music except MSU's and no large or raised-up speakers.
- Alcohol
- MSU follows local ordinances and state law. Drinking under 21 is illegal.
- Smoking
- Banned on campus in any form, including e-cigarettes and hookah.
- When it ends
- Picnic areas close at midnight every night. Parking areas are cleared by 7 a.m. the day after the game.
- Bags at the gate
- Clear, up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, or a 1-gallon freezer bag, plus a clutch up to 4.5 x 6.5 inches.
- Gates open
- 2 hours before kickoff. The stadium is cashless.
Before you go
MSU: Junction and Amphitheater tailgating zones and rulesMSU Transportation: football gameday parking (2026)MSU: 2026 home opener gameday infoMSU football tailgating plan mapOfficial pages. Rules change; check them the week of the game.
Pack for Starkville
What we'd bring.
-
Ultralight Tall-Back Camp Chair
$45
Ships free
-
Electric Wagon, 500W with Balloon Wheels
$449
Ships free
Tents go on the grass and trailers aren't allowed. Balloon wheels haul the setup over the lawn.
More for this lot
-
Revo Dubler Party Cooler$169.89 · Ships free
-
Scorezit Cornhole Scorekeeper Set$140 · +$15 shipping
Gear for Mississippi State fans
In stock now.
Where the party is
Starkville tailgates on grass. The Junction by the south end zone is reserved tailgating now, and the public lawns across Stone Boulevard, Creelman Street and Lee Boulevard take everyone else, first come, from Friday afternoon.
The public play
The public tailgating lawns
First come, first served, including the areas in front of Barnes & Noble and the Agricultural and Biological Engineering Building.
The reserved zone
The Junction
Outside the Seal "M" Club by the south end zone. Since 2025 it's all Southern Tradition Tailgating, the campus tent provider, so it's reserved setups only.
The moment
The Dawg Walk
Fans line the Junction's brick walkway for the team, about 2 hours and 15 minutes before kickoff at the 2026 opener.
What to eat
Cook thisBurgers with dill pickle sauceGetting out
Everyone leaves campus at once, so MSU posts egress routes for the north and south sides. Your options, best first:
- Ride the free transit back. Gameday transit runs until 2 hours after the game. Remember, no coolers on board.
- Hang at your tent. Picnic areas stay open until midnight. Let the roads clear first.
- Follow the posted egress route. MSU publishes north and south campus egress maps. Pull them up before you leave the lot.
Skip this
Leave at the final whistle. You and most of the stadium. Pack the tent first.
First time here?
- The Junction is reserved now. Public lawns are first come.
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