They’re up to snuff, they never bluff and they’re game for any fuss. They’re the members of the Mighty Utah Student Section—more commonly referred to as the MUSS— who take pride in their long tradition of rowdy behavior and in their national recognition as one of the best student sections in the country.
The group takes its name from a line in the U’s fight song, “Utah Man,” which declares, “no rival band of college fans dare meet us in The Muss.”
The song was written in 1904, and attributed the word “muss”— a term describing a state of disorder and confusion — to the raucous crowd of students that showed up to cheer on the Utes.
Almost 100 years later, the chaotic mass of students that had given Rice-Eccles Stadium a reputation for being one of the toughest places to play in all of college football— a sport synonymous with mayhem and disarray— became organized. In 2002, the MUSS was officially formed, and since then it has become the largest student organization on campus with over 6,000 members and its own governing body.
“In my opinion, it’s the best part of college because you get to be around a bunch of other crazy college students that enjoy sports as much as you do,” said MUSS President James Gabour about the group’s role on campus.
Structure has not diminished the MUSS’s trademark rowdiness nor hampered its ability to wreak havoc on opposing teams’ efforts. Through organization, the MUSS has been able to increase student attendance, generate excitement for games and improve the experience for fans.
The MUSS has also been responsible for establishing many traditions that are now entwined with Utah athletics.
For football, the “Third Down Jump” is the MUSS’s most iconic practice. The Third Down Jump consists of students jumping around and making as much noise as possible when the opposing team’s offense is facing a third down with the aim of causing confusion and delays in the offense. The resulting cacophony and pseudo-earthquake is a daunting challenge for opponents and the domineering presence of the MUSS at football games has been a factor in the team’s success at home, leading to their recognition by the NCAA in 2014 as the fourth-best student section in the country.
In the establishment of another cornerstone of Utah tradition, MUSS members at a gymnastics meet are credited with being the first to “throw up the U”— making a hand gesture in the shape of the letter “u” that is ubiquitous to the U and now finds its way into almost every picture taken on campus.
Men’s basketball MUSS members started a tradition this year, similar to students at basketball powerhouses like Duke and North Carolina, of setting up tents and camping in front of the Huntsman Center up to four days prior to the team’s most-anticipated game of the season.
The tent city, established prior to the Utes’ face-off against Arizona, had nicknames like “Camp Huntsman” and “Krystkowiak-ville.” It garnered national attention, earned the praise of head coach Larry Krystkowiak and the Utah players, and showed the dedication the MUSS has in its support of the Utes.
“It really adds to the whole college experience of being in the student section and enjoying all the sporting events. We obviously do football, gymnastics and [men’s] basketball but we’ve started expanding into the other sports like baseball and volleyball as well,” Gabour said.
Gabour also said that he has seen an increase in student participation in the MUSS over the last few years, especially for sports other than football, which has been able to make the experience much more enjoyable for Ute fans.
Students wanting to join the football MUSS must pay $50 to join. Membership includes entrance to all seven home games, a pre-game tailgate with free food, a MUSS Under Armour T-shirt and the opportunity to go on the “MUSS Bus,” which travels to one of the away games. Students wishing to cheer on the Utes while being a part of the MUSS for men’s basketball, gymnastics, volleyball and baseball can join for free to receive a T-shirt and admission to home games and meets.
@tylerfcrum