COLUMBIA — A sea of about 1,000 black and gold fans engulfed the lawn in front of the south steps of Jesse Hall on Thursday for a pep rally in preparation for Saturday’s MU Tigers home football game against Nebraska.
While most of the crowd consisted of students, a sprinkling of Columbia residents came to participate in the rally as well.
Truman the Tiger, Marching Mizzou, members of the football team, coaches and Missouri spirit squads led the crowd in chants of M-I-Z-Z-O-U, “The Missouri Waltz” and the university fight song.
The Alumni Association Student Board sold “Gold Rush” T-shirts and other attire and gave away MU pens, stickers, pom-poms and beads to help cheer on the Tigers during Saturday’s game.
A Columbia resident, dressed in a full Tiger football uniform, and his daughter won a best dressed contest, beating out three MU students.
Gary Link, special assistant to Athletic Director Mike Alden, emceed the event, telling fans to “party hard and wear gold!” as the frenzied crowd roared in response.
“We want Nebraska fans to leave thinking the Missouri fans are the best fans anywhere in the country,” Link said. “We’re gonna beat them in the field and we’re gonna beat them in the stands.”