Students, tailgaters and players gear up for the Ole Miss game in the usual way, but with a slight twist.
Oct. 31 will be no ordinary gameday with Halloween costumes replacing a stadium littered with orange and blue.
"I think a lot of people are going to dress up in their Halloween costumes," said Meredith Szabo, junior in English, planning to dress up as Snow White.
Szabo and a group of friends are dressing up as Disney characters, her roommate's idea. Snow White, Pocahontas, Belle and Alice in Wonderland will be additions are the planned princesses.
Christina Merriott, sophomore in music, also plans to dress up as a tiger for the game.
"I think there will be a lot of Auburn football players, cheerleaders and tigers," Merriott said.
Fans in the student section aren't the only participants taking part in Halloween fun.
"I hope it's going to be more festive," said Julia Sinclair of Auburn. "I'm looking forward to going out and having fun before and after the game. Whatever happens at the game, happens."
Sinclair and the group she tailgates with are planning an Andy Griffith theme, but not until after the game. Her costume choices are between Helen Crump and Opie Taylor.
"We're not wearing my costume to the game because we think we'll get too many weird looks," Sinclair said. "We're saving the fun for later."
Like Sinclair, Merriott and her friends plan to change after the game. Merriott hasn't decided what to wear later, but picked an Auburn theme for the game.
Angel Thompson, an Auburn alumnae, is joining in the festivities with the Andy Griffith crowd.
"I'm either going to be a pirate or Aubie," Thompson said.
She, like Sinclair, is wearing what she would normally wear to a game.
"It's too early to dress up," Thompson said.
The time of the game is one element that has fans on the fence about dressing up. The weather is also something people are considering.
Courtney Crew, junior in art, said she isn't dressing up because it will be too cold.
Another element calming the orange sea is head coach Gene Chizik's call for the Navy Nightmare, when fans are supposed to come dressed in all navy attire to show support for the team.
Merriot said she thinks fans will mostly adhere to Chizik's request for all navy.
"If (the players) see fans wearing what Chizik asked, it'll get them pumped and let them know we're behind them," Merriott said.
There are fans who think the crowd's clothes will have no effect on the team's performance.
"If I thought it would make (the team) win, I would dress up," Thompson said.
Whether the atmosphere of the game changes is yet to be seen, but fans have their speculations.
"I think it will be a rowdier, more playful crowd," Sinclair said.
A game is still a game in some people's eyes, though.
"I think the atmosphere will be about the same," Szabo said. "It won't be as hard core or as serious, but I think people will still be going for the game."
Whether fans dress up as pirates, bloody rebels, Aubie or all out in navy, the added flare of the Halloween spirit is sure to get fans of all ages pumped.
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