For Southern Miss fans who have spent the summer waiting for football to return, Saturday will offer the first real taste of fall in Hattiesburg — and the first look at a familiar stadium carrying a new name.
Southern Miss will hold its annual Fan Fest on Saturday, Aug. 22, at the newly renamed Renasant Bank Stadium, formerly known as M.M. Roberts Stadium. Gates open at 10:30 a.m. ahead of the Golden Eagles’ second preseason scrimmage at 11 a.m.
For many fans, Saturday will be their first opportunity to see Renasant Bank Stadium since Southern Miss announced its new naming-rights agreement with Renasant Bank. The stadium generations of Golden Eagle fans have simply known as “The Rock” is entering a new era, even if the building, memories and atmosphere associated with it remain the same.
That makes this year’s Fan Fest a little different. It’s not only an early look at Blake Anderson’s first Southern Miss team, but also an introduction to the new identity of one of the most recognizable landmarks on campus.
The free event begins at 10:30 a.m., with fans asked to enter through Gate 5 in the south end zone or Gate 3 on the west side of the stadium. Free parking will be available around the stadium.
Southern Miss women’s soccer will hold an autograph session on the south end zone concourse, while fans will also have opportunities to take pictures with Seymour, the Southern Miss cheerleaders and the Southern Misses dance team. The event will include a caricature artist, bounce houses, merchandise and other activities. Southern Miss ticket representatives will also be available for fans looking to purchase tickets for the upcoming season.
The main attraction begins at 11 a.m., when Anderson sends his Golden Eagles onto the field for their second preseason scrimmage of fall camp.
Unlike most August practices, Saturday gives fans an opportunity to see the 2026 Golden Eagles in full pads inside their home stadium. With the season opener approaching, the scrimmage should provide another look at a roster that has spent August taking shape under a new coaching staff.
Following the scrimmage, Southern Miss football players are scheduled to participate in an autograph session at approximately 1 p.m.
And the day doesn’t end when football leaves the field.
Fans can make the short trip across campus to the Southern Miss Wellness Center, where Southern Miss volleyball hosts Nicholls in an exhibition match at 2 p.m. Admission is free.
The exhibition provides one more opportunity for Southern Miss volleyball to prepare for the regular season and gives Golden Eagle fans another reason to spend Saturday on campus.
It essentially creates a Southern Miss sports doubleheader. Start the morning at Renasant Bank Stadium, still “The Rock” to generations of Southern Miss fans, for Fan Fest and an early look at Anderson’s first Golden Eagle team. Then head across campus for an afternoon of volleyball at the Wellness Center.
Football season isn’t here quite yet. But with fans back inside The Rock, a new name on the stadium and Southern Miss teams back in action, Saturday should feel like the unofficial beginning of another year of Golden Eagle athletics.
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