Photograph courtesy of the University of Missouri
The University of Missouri’s first official Southeastern Conference football game, September 1, marks a new chapter in the school’s history—one that’s come with plenty of scrutiny as the university parts ways with the Big 12 Conference after more than a century of playing former conference rival KU. Yet a new book, The Mizzou Fan’s Survival Guide to the SEC, encourages fans to embrace future rivals like the defending national champion University of Alabama and Louisiana State University. “There’s no conference that has a richer history than the SEC,” says co-author Dave Matter, a longtime sportswriter for the Columbia Daily Tribune. “I don’t remember there ever being this much anticipation around Mizzou sports.”
What’s the biggest cultural difference between the Big 12 and the SEC?
I don’t think [Mizzou fans are] quite prepared for the obsession that exists with the SEC programs. Programs like Alabama and Auburn don’t have pro teams in their states, so fans gravitate to those programs. Missouri’s different: You have pro teams in Kansas City and St. Louis, and Missouri football went through a long time of not being very good… I don’t think they’ve seen anything like what they’ll see when Alabama and Georgia come to Columbia this fall.
How’s the university preparing for those crowds?
They feel like to be able to compete, they’ll need to upgrade across the board a lot of their facilities… They say it’s an arms race in college sports to build up your facilities to make them the most modern and appealing for recruits.
Is there a natural SEC rival for Mizzou?
Arkansas, because of the proximity. They haven’t played much in football, just five times, but they did have a really good basketball rivalry in the ’80s and ’90s. And now with [former MU basketball coach] Mike Anderson going to Arkansas, I think that renews that rivalry.
How do you think Mizzou will fare overall in the SEC?
It will be tough to win the division or a championship, but Missouri wasn’t really winning championships in the Big 12 either… Nothing’s going to be easy about it, but I do think the program’s in the best shape it’s ever been for it to compete with those teams.
Editor's Note: This story has been updated to reflect that Mizzou has played former conference rival KU for more than a century, rather than playing in the Big 12 conference for that amount of time.
WEB EXCLUSIVE: WHAT TO DO WHILE VISITING SEC COLLEGE TOWNS
Tips courtesy of The Mizzou Fan's Survival Guide to the SEC
UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA | TUSCALOOSA, AL
The best spot on campus to tailgate is the Quad in the heart of campus. Any group that wants to have a planned tailgating or a game-day event that requires a tent larger than 10' x 10' or a secured space, though, must fill out a UA Grounds Use Permit www.uafacilities.ua.edu/grounds-use-permit.htm
Tuscaloosa Transit runs sixteen buses from a free-of-charge parking deck---located on 23rd Avenue between 6th and 7th streets---to Bryant-Denny Stadium. Shuttles start three hours prior to game time and cost one dollar for adults, 50 cents for senior citizens age sixty or over, and free for children under three.
Games are broadcast on WJOX-FM 94.5 and WJOX-AM 690 in Birmingham, along with WFFN-FM 95.3 AND WTSK-AM 790 in Tuscaloosa.
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS | FAYETTEVILLE, AR
In Northwest Arkansas, the chain hotel rooms fill up quickly but a good source for hotels in Fayetteville is www.fayettevillear.com/hotelsmotels.
The Razorbacks are covered on www.arkansasonline.com/news/sports (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette) and www.nwaonline.com/sports (Northwest Arkansas Newspapers).
General Parking/Tailgating on War Memorial Golf Course is a longstanding tradition for Razorback football games. General Parking/Tailgating is available on a first-come basis and fans pay $20 when they arrive.
AUBURN UNIVERSITY | AUBURN, AL
For tickets, fans can call (334)844-4040 or visit aubtix.com.
Tailgates can't be set up on campus until 4 pm the day before a home game and fans cannot use any university utilties.
WKRR-FM 97.7 in Auburn-Opelika as well as WAPI-FM 100.5 and WAPI-AM 1070 in Birmingham broadcast Auburn games.
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA| GAINESVILLE, FL
Fans may tailgate within their spot---in front or behind vehicles---or in any open grass area. Music must be confined to individuals' tailgate areas and tents may not be used within a parking spot.
Hotels usually fill up early on football weekends. Contact (866)778-5002 for room availability or go to www.visitgainesville.com/stay/special-event-accommodations.
Gainesville is the farthest trip for Missouri fans in the SEC, roughly one thousand miles from Columbia to Florida's campus---fans' best bet for travel is to book a flight.
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA| ATHENS, GA
Georgia's free Campus Transit provides game-day shuttles for fans parking in the East Campus Parking Deck/Ramsey Center area and Intramural Fields area that are located off College Station Road.
Fan's cannot set up tailgates before 7 am on game day and may not have any university electricity or cable hookups.
From Missouri, fans' best bet is to fly into Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and make the 80 mile drive into Athens.
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY| LEXINGTON, KY
UK is about 460 miles from Columbia and 340 from St. Louis making it a pretty manageable drive.
For room availability in Lexington, visit www.commercelexington.com/hotelsmotels.
Game-day shuttles operate between campus and downtown Lexington and Commonwealth Stadum.
LOUISANA STATE UNIVERSITY| BATON ROUGE, LA
Tailgating is not permitted on sidewalks, bike paths, and landscaped areas. Tents may not be set up anywhere that impedes pedetrian traffic, and all tents should be taken down before entering the game.
For $20 per person per game, LSU has bus services from Westmoreland Shopping Center and Farr Park.
LSU games are covered by www.theadvocate.com/sports/lsu (The Advocate, Baton Rouge), www.nola.com/lsu (Times-Picayune, New Orleans), and www.tigerrag.com/ (Tiger Rag Magazine, Baton Rouge).
MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY| STARKVILLE, MS
Shuttles are available from downtown Starkville and the Thad Cochran Research, Technology and Economic Development Park. Shuttles begin three hours prior to kickoff.
WZNO-FM 105.9 in Jackson and WXMX-FM 96.3 in Tupelo both cover Mississippi games.
Tickets are available at (662)325-2600.
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI| COLUMBIA, MO
Courtesy shuttles are available from each lot to the south and east of Memorial Stadium to desgnated points around the stadium. The service operates ninety minutes before and one hour after the game.
The Tiger Radio Network carries Mizzou games throughout the state,including on KCMQ-FM 96.7 and KTGR-AM 1580 in Columbia.
Columbia's hotels fill up fast, but fans can also try nearby Jefferson City, Kingdom City, and Booneville.
UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI| OXFORD, MS
From St. Louis, Ole Miss is a 360 mile, straight shot down I-55.
A large majority of tailgating at Ole Miss is confined to the Grove, a grassy, shady, ten-acre area in the middle of cmapus. The Grove is thoroughly policed and anyone publicly drunk will be arrested.
The best bet to get last minute tickets is to walk around the Grove, which is filled with fans who come early and stay late.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA| COLUMBIA, SC
Shuttle service is available for three dollars per person round trip. Service begins three hours prior to kickoff and runs until one and a half hours after the game.
RV parking is available in the Fairgrounds (803-799-3387) on the east side of Assembly Street and at Gate 12 on Rosewood Drive.
You can go to www.columbiacvb.com for a list of hotels in Columbia and surrounding areas.
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE| KNOXVILLE, TN
Visit UTTIX.com or call (865)656-1200 or 800-332-VOLS.
Fans can drive south through Nashville or east through Louisville, but either way it's just over 600 miles from Columbia to UT's campus.
Tailgates aren't allow before 7 am on game day and must be packed by midnight unless it's a night kickoff.
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY| BRYAN/COLLEGE STATION, TX
Texas A&M Transportation Services provides free express shuttles on game days from Post Oak Mall to Lubbock Street on the A&M campus.
The easiest way to get to A&M is to fly into Austin or Houston and make the drive into College Station.
Aggies games are covered by www.AggieSports.com (Bryan-College Station Eagle), www.statesman.com/sports/aggies (Austin American-Statesman), and www.chron.com/sports/aggies (Houston Chronicle).
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY| NASHVILLE, TN
Because Vanderbilt Stadium is completely surrounded by commercial property and other athletic facilities, there is virtually no polace to tailgate. The Vanderbilt athletic department is marketing a small tailgate area on the corner of Jess Neely Drive and Natchez Trace outside the stadium available only to Vanderbilt season-ticket holders.
There is a lack of free parking close to the stadium---the only free parking is at Terrace Place and Wesley Garages just off 21st Avenue, which is a fifteen- to twenty-minute walk through the heart of campus to Vanderbilt Stadium. There are no shuttles.
The drive to Nashville is doable--five hours on I-64, I-57, and finally I-24 from St. Louis to Nashville.
