While it is starting off later than usual, Florida State University football is finally back this weekend with its season opener against Georgia Tech! FSU will play against the Yellow Jackets on Saturday, September 12 at 3:30pm ET in Doak Campbell Stadium. To find the rest of FSU Football’s schedule, click here.

Despite the football season looking different this year with adjusted stadium capacities, tailgating regulations, and the University’s COVID-19 guidelines, all FSU fans are still able to engage in the same ‘Nole pride they would find in the stands of Doak.

No matter if you find yourself at the game or taking part in game day festivities at home, there are plenty of COVID-conscious ways to enjoy FSU football this year!

Create an FSU Football group chat with your friends. While it’s tempting to gather in large groups on any FSU game day, the University reminds fans that social distancing and wearing masks is the best way to keep our campus and community safe from COVID-19. Instead of gathering in large groups, consider using a group chat with your friends so that you all can connect while watching any football games this season! This is a great alternative to large gatherings and can help groups stay in contact with one another.

Watch the game with friends online. Another alternative to avoid gathering in large groups is creating a group video call with friends! Similar to the previous suggestion, using video platforms like Facetime, Zoom, and Skype all allow you to have multiple people on one call so that you can continue to engage in conversations and banter while watching football. Additionally, platforms such as Zoom even have a screen-sharing feature where one person can share their computer screen so everyone can view the game at once.

Engage on social media. A more creative way to engage with FSU Football is by getting social! Share your favorite game day traditions or memories, post pics of your family recipes for game day food, highlight your lucky jersey or your garnet and gold! Many people live post on Twitter throughout key moments of the game. Interact with these types of posts on social media or even start your own thread on Twitter if you aren’t able to attend the football games. This week, the FSU Marching Chiefs will host their Skull Session online (weather permitting) via Facebook live. Tune in on Friday, September 11 @ 5:00 pm ET via the FSU Marching Chiefs page on Facebook to catch a glimpse of the Chiefs and hear your favorite FSU songs. 

Make sure to follow University and FSU Football guidelines. For the students and fans who are attending FSU Football games in person, it is critical to continue to follow the University guidelines while at the games. All members of the FSU community should continue to wear face coverings, practice social distancing, and avoid attending or hosting events with over 10 people-- even when not on campus. Additionally, tailgating has been prohibited for the FSU vs. Georgia Tech game on September 12.

As usual, students, faculty, and staff have been made aware of the parking restrictions in place for the upcoming football season. For those attending any home games in person, FSU specifies that numerous campus parking venues will be reserved for parking. Any students parked in these facilities must remove their vehicles from the parking venue by 11:59pm on the Friday prior to the home game. Not moving your car means you are at risk of getting towed.

Additionally, FSU is bringing back the Garnet & Gold Tailgate with in-person and virtual incentives. To celebrate home games, the Garnet & Gold Tailgate will host weekly social media challenges like What’s cooking Wednesday, Game-Face Friday, and Game Day Home Tailgate Setup. By participating in these remote activities, students are eligible to win the Garnet & Gold Tailgater of the Game T-Shirt. Make sure to follow FSU Student Organizations & Involvement (SOI) on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to stay updated on the weekly challenges.

To learn more about FSU’s Return to Student Life health initiatives for the FSU and Tallahassee community, go to their website here.

If your student has any questions or concerns about needing to be tested for COVID-19, you can find more information about this process here.