Need-to-Know: A Kentucky Fan's Guide to the Grove
Kentucky travels to Ole Miss this weekend for a Top-15 SEC showdown. It’s been 12 years since the Cats played in Oxford, and in turn, a Big Blue caravan is headed southwest for our first shot at the Grove in over a decade. Not even an 11 a.m. CT kickoff can dampen our enthusiasm.
It’s been a while since we’ve done this (22 years for yours truly), so here’s a refresher on what you need to know to maximize your Grove gameday experience.
The Basics
Theoretically, there are some of you reading this who may not know what the Grove is. Before each home game, ten acres at the heart of Ole Miss’ campus fill with tents, TVs, food, drinks, and chandeliers, all shaded by stately oak trees. It is one of the most unique experiences in all of college football, a tailgater’s dream. The Grove is a five-minute drive from the square downtown or a 20-minute walk.
It’s Ole Miss’ Homecoming
Saturday is Homecoming in Oxford, meaning getting a dinner reservation is practically impossible. If you’re like me, you’ve been refreshing the Resy and OpenTable apps on a regular basis. You can also have the apps notify you if a reservation becomes available within a certain time period. As the hours tick down until gameday, I very much encourage you to do that as people’s plans change.
If all else fails, there are plenty of restaurants around the square and downtown that either don’t take reservations or save some tables for walk-ins. I recommend Bouré and Ajax, neither of which take reservations. Get there early!
You can set tents up starting on Friday night
There are several tailgating services that will set up your tents for you, but if you want to do it the old-fashioned way, make sure you’re at the Grove Friday night at 7 p.m. CT for the “Running of the Tents.” Starting at 7 p.m., fans are allowed to secure their spots for Saturday, first-come, first-served. Grills and open flames are NOT allowed. For more rules and regulations, click here.
The KSR Pregame Show will be broadcasting live from…somewhere
Matt Jones, Drew Franklin, and Max Duffy are also making the trip to Oxford this weekend, so the KSR Pregame Show will be happening live at a location to be determined beginning at 9 a.m. ET, 8 a.m. CT. Early word is they’ll be at the Maker’s Mark corporate tent in the Grove, but stay tuned to the site and social media for final word.
Marty & McGee and SEC Nation will be in the Grove
Kentucky vs. Ole Miss is so big that SEC Nation skipped its planned trip to Columbia, Missouri to come to Oxford instead. The SEC Network’s weekly pregame show will be set up live in the Grove to bring you the sights and sounds starting at 9 a.m. CT/10 a.m. ET. Marty & McGee kick things off an hour prior.
The UK Alumni Association is hosting a tailgate
Don’t have a tailgate to attend? Ole Miss fans are very friendly and will likely let you crash theirs. Or, you can play it safe and party with the BBN at the UK Alumni Association pregame tailgate, which starts at 8:30 a.m. CT at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field, located on University Place (not the Grove). The tailgate features a full buffet, giveaways, and special appearances by the UK Band and UK cheerleaders. The cost is $25 in advance ($30 at the door) and includes admission to the event and the pregame meal. Admission is free for children ages 10 and under. Reserve your spot at ukalumni.net/OleMissFootballTrip.
No Parking Pass? Download the CLUTCH! app
You’ve got a ticket and you’re ready to party in the Grove, but where do you park? If you have an Ole Miss-issued parking pass, here are the lots to look for:
If you do not have a parking pass, Ole Miss recommends downloading the CLUTCH! parking app before arriving on gameday. It allows fans to purchase parking passes and gives the location, distance from the stadium, and details on shuttles.
You can also park at the Northwest Community College (NWCC), the South Oxford Center (SOC), or Insight Park lots. A complimentary shuttle is provided from the NWCC and SOC lots. Parking at NWCC and the SOC is $30 for conference games. Insight Park is on campus and does not include a shuttle option. It costs $40 for conference games. Gameday shuttle service begins at least five hours prior to kickoff and ends two hours following the conclusion of the game. For maps and more information, click here.
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Now, let’s move into Grove proper.
Yes, people will be dressed up
Football games are social events in the South, and that’s especially true at Ole Miss. Prepare to see button-up shirts, bowties, khakis, sundresses, and pearls. Visiting fans aren’t expected to dress to the nines, but have at it if you so desire.
Wear WHITE
Speaking of clothes, Ole Miss is calling for a Stripe Out on Saturday, with fans asked to wear either red or navy blue. Some of the visiting team’s sections are navy, which could make it tough for Kentucky Blue to stand out. We took a poll on Twitter and the majority of fans agree we should White-Out the Stripe-Out.
All alcohol MUST be in a solo cup
If you plan on enjoying some pre- or postgame beverages in the Grove, take a Solo cup with you. Liquor is legal on campus, but beer is not — to the point that police officers will ask you to pour a bottle or can out — but if you pour it into a Solo cup (opaque, not clear), no one will question you. I’ll take “Weird Things about the South” for $100, Alex.
You can drink at the game
Once you’re in the stadium you can ditch the cup. Unlike Kentucky, alcohol is sold at Ole Miss sporting events. To make the process as smooth as possible, visit an age verification station outside the stadium (near gates 7 and 38) to get a wristband before going in. The stations open two hours prior to kickoff. There are also age verification stations inside the stadium on each lower concourse. From there, proceed to a concession stand and get your drink on. There’s a limit of two drinks per transaction and sales end at the conclusion of the third quarter.
Here’s a map of concessions, including where you can grab a cold one:
Cat Walk: 8:45 a.m. CT, Gate 19
If you want to greet the Cats as they arrive at the stadium, be outside Gate 19 (right next to the visitor’s sections) at 8:45 a.m. CT. That’s marked on the map below.
That location looks to be a 10-minute walk from the Grove:
If you stay in the Grove, you can see Ole Miss make its way to the stadium on the Walk of Champions at the same time.
Stadium gates open at 9 a.m. CT
With a sold-out crowd, Ole Miss officials are advising fans to arrive early on Saturday. Gates open at 9 a.m. and apparently, traffic can get pretty gnarly, so make sure you’re where you need to be to enjoy some pregame fun or just get into the stands in time for the 11 a.m. CT kickoff. In Oxford, two hours is considered a “tight window”:
The Grove closes at 6:30 p.m. CT
Traditionally, the Grove closes three hours after each game or midnight, whatever happens first. That will be the case on Saturday as well, but if the Cats win, I’d like to see them try to kick the #BBN out.
See you in Oxford. Go Cats.
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