Whether you enjoy the thrill of the game or the excitement of being a part of such a fun social experience, the student section is an essential part of the college athletic experience. Nothing is better than cheering on your peers in the thrilling matter that these sections provide.

The more lively the student section is, the more it impacts the outcome of the game and thus proceeds to build a national reputation. The crazier the student section, the more deafening an atmosphere it provides to the gameplay. The best student sections show up en masse through the rain and snow to cheer on their beloved sports team.

We at the University of Utah are home to the Mighty Utah Student Section, more commonly known as the MUSS, a student section that has continued to rise in national fame and prowess over the last several years. This attention came with a massive reward as we were named the 2021 Live Más Student Section of the Year by ESPN.

Our section has lived up to the name as we have continued to show that we are the best student section in the nation by showing up and wreaking utter havoc to the opposing team and fans. We bring in towering flags and dress in our school colors of red and white to show our support for our football team. We dress in red and fill up the Huntsman Center to cheer on our Red Rocks, the national power gymnastics team that we boast of here at the U. We even packed Ute Field for a women’s soccer match in the rain against our bitter rivals BYU this past winter.

Opposing teams come into Rice Eccles Stadium knowing that winning here in Salt Lake City is no easy task. In a 2018 interview, former USC head football coach Clay Helton called Utah “a phenomenal place to play, an electric atmosphere.”

That same year Chris Peterson, head coach of the Washington Huskies at the time, had this to say about the MUSS, “It’s what college football should be.” This, coming from a coach who has coached since the 1980s and has had experience with his share of tough environments, including two Boise State Fiesta Bowls, is a massive compliment.

Becoming the number one student section in the country is not an easy task and has taken 20 years of tradition to get to the point it is today. Established in 2002, the MUSS quickly became nationally recognized even in the smaller conference of the Mountain West as it carried traditions like no other. The third down jump has been synonymous with the MUSS as students jump up and down yelling and screaming to cause as much mayhem as possible when the other team is on third down. The MUSS even hangs a five over the railing for every opposing team’s false start.

The MUSS Bus is another tradition linked with our student section. Every year students cram into a packed bus on a path to a road football game, creating lasting memories with their peers. Traditions like these have made our section famous and are something we should be proud to have as students at the U.

So now that you know about the MUSS, let’s find out how you can be a part of the nation’s number one student section. While most sporting events are free with your UID, guaranteeing a spot for football games is a different process. Because of the rising popularity of our football team, the best way of guaranteeing yourself a ticket for these games is to sign up for MUSS Premium. 

The 2022 MUSS Premium membership includes a one-of-a-kind MUSS T-shirt, access to pre-game tailgates, the opportunity to sign up for the MUSS Bus and of course, guaranteed tickets to every home football game.

The MUSS Premium registration began on April 1, 2022, but don’t feel like you missed your chance to sign up as registration is still available to all students. Just head over to their website, log in with your uNID and you should be able to reserve your tickets to be a part of the MUSS.

It is our job here at the U to continue our run as the nation’s number one student section and we want every student to take advantage of the unique opportunity that our school offers by joining the MUSS. 

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