TIGER TV ONLINE REPORTER
Five buses will take the 250 students signed up for the Student Government-sponsored Mississippi State away game bus trip Saturday.
The increased popularity for the program is reflected in the numbers. Tickets for the trip sold out in 60 hours.
“Last year only three or four buses went to the South Carolina away game bus trip,” Melissa Hart, Student Government director of athletics and mass communication junior, said. “We were shocked to see such a demand.”
Half of the students going are freshmen because not having to drive is a big incentive.
“Not having to drive to Mississippi makes going to an away game much safer for freshmen,” Hart said.
SG has organized an away game bus trip for students since 2006. Destinations have included South Carolina and Tennessee.
“We have a bus trip to bring as many students as possible to an away game who want to go to one,” Hart said.
SG chose the Mississippi State away game for this year because it is the closest one and tickets were easy to get at a reasonable price.
“Many students can’t afford to go to an away game,” Hart said. “We wanted to keep the costs as low as possible.”
Students appreciate this fact, but bigger games are still appealing.
“I get why they chose this one, but I wish it was Georgia or Alabama game,” mass communication sophomore Taylor Martina said. “But I’m still excited about going.”
Tickets for the trip cost $75 each and go toward the game ticket, transportation and a t-shirt. SG sponsors such as the LSU Alumni Association and LSU Dining have helped defray the costs of the trip.
In addition to the students, 10 SG bus captains and 10 chaperones will attend. The chaperones will be SG sponsors and other university faculty.
“We want this to be a safe trip,” Hart said. “It’s a non-alcoholic event and the police will escort us there.”
The buses will leave Saturday morning at 3:30 a.m. and arrive in Starkville, Miss. at 9:30 a.m. for an 11:21 a.m. kick-off time. After the game they will leave at 4:15 p.m., stop for dinner and arrive at LSU at 11 p.m.
“I plan on sleeping both ways and maybe listening to my iPod,” Martina said. “It’ll be nice to get there and leave the same day.”
