Let me start by saying what a fantastic job our Golden Eagles did this past weekend against Austin Peay! A crushing 52-6 win, that was just as impressive as it was exciting. Our Eagles have come quite a long way, and I am a proud fan.

Aside from the underwhelming attendance of the last game, I have noticed a shocking trend since my first year at Southern Miss. Though I am sure it's a problem that applies to many schools across the nation. After Halftime, maybe a little bit into the third quarter, "fans" slowly begin to trickle out of the stadium, and abandon the team.

Whether our boys are winning or losing, they need our support throughout the game. There is never a point where they stop needing us. In the words of our head coach, Todd Monken, "We need everybody."

As a member of the Pride of Mississippi, I stay throughout the entirety of the game, and then for the fifth quarter. Yeah, that's right. I said the fifth quarter. What is the fifth quarter? The fifth quarter is held after the conclusion of the game. It is a beautiful tradition held by our university.

If you aren't staying for the entire game, shame on you, but if you aren't staying for the fifth quarter, I can honestly say you are missing out.

At the conclusion of the game the football team, cheerleaders, color guard, Dixie Darlings, coaches, and more, gather on the field. In the stands, fans rise, and sing the Alma Mater while the band plays. It is a beautiful, chilling scene, even with a lacking crowd. So I can only imagine a full stadium. Following that, if we win, (which we did last game) the band plays the traditional "Rejoice Southern," which is a catchy, jazzy tune! The fans and teams dance and cheer as the band wails out the shout chorus. It's definitely a Southern Miss favorite that most of you probably don't even know exist.

Following the traditional post-game music, the band will roll through some of our favorite tunes, and show music, while the color guard showcases their work on the field. Let us not forget about the beautiful Dixie Darlings; along with our phenomenal feature twirlers, strutting their stuff.

Who wouldn't want to see that?

There is so much work and effort that goes into every part of a football game; and at times, this work is often overlooked. The fifth quarter is a great way to close out a Saturday at the Rock! A true Southern Miss fan wouldn't want to to miss out on this. Even if you don't stay every game, if you find it's not your thing, I urge you to give the fifth quarter a shot at our next game. You won't regret it!

Saturday October 3rd, come out to The Rock. Cheer on our Golden Eagles against North Texas. Stay for the entire game. And kickback for the fifth quarter! Don't let yourself miss out on this great game day tradition!

SMTTT