Wake Forest, Mississippi State face off in Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It’s game day in the Queen City as Wake Forest takes on Mississippi State on Friday night in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium.

Kickoff was set for 8 p.m., but the celebration started hours earlier with FanFest, the official pregame party, running from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 

Fans found the festivities along Mint and Graham streets, just outside the stadium, featuring live music, food and drinks, interactive games, and of course, plenty of Duke’s Mayo.

“I’m a big fan of Duke’s mayonnaise. I’m probably their biggest fan, so anywhere Duke’s is at, I’m going to be at,” said Sarah Baus.

“We’ve had a ball,” said a fan visiting from Mississippi. “We have eaten until we can’t eat, we have had drinks and we have had a fun time.”

The Duke’s Mayo Bowl is one of Charlotte’s biggest college football events of the year, drawing fans from across the country for bowl-week activities and game-day excitement. 

It’s also become an annual tradition since its first game in 2002.

“We’re so excited because we go to all Mississippi State Bulldog games,” said a fan in town for the game.

For Wake Forest, the matchup marks a return to the bowl stage after a solid first season under head coach Jake Dickert, giving the Demon Deacons a chance to build momentum heading into the future.

“We talked about all year about building a foundation for the future, which I think they’ve done a tremendous job of but also springboarding us into what’s next,” Dickert said. 

Dickert said reaching a bowl game is a milestone you embrace more than you prepare for.

“Everyone asks, ‘How do you prepare for it?’ I don’t think you have any way to prepare for it,” he said. “You just let it happen, and you, you put a smile on your face because it means your players went out there and won a tough physical football game.”

Bowl week has included more than just preparation on the field. Players and coaches took part in high-speed laps at Charlotte Motor Speedway and gave back to the community during a volunteer event at Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina.

Now, the focus shifts to the main event under the lights in Uptown. The Duke’s Mayo Bowl kicks off Friday, Jan. 2 at 8 p.m. and will air live on ESPN. 

Tickets are still available through Ticketmaster, SeatGeek, TicketSmarter, and AXS for fans who want to catch the action in person at Bank of America Stadium.

Some streets in Uptown will be closed for the festivities on Friday, and the Charlotte Area Transit System has temporarily adjusted some of its bus routes in response. Buses will skip stops along Mint Street between Morehead Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Normal routes are expected to resume at midnight.

Contact Destiny Richards at drichards5@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.

Contact Jesse Pierre at jpierrepet@wcnc.com or follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.