>>WELL, BY NOW MOST OF THE FOOTBALL TRAFFIC IS ON SITE AND FANS HAVE MADE THEIR WAY TO THE STANDS WHERE MARCHING MIZZOU WILL PROVIDE PRE-GAME AND HALFTIME ENTERTAINMENT. KRCG 13 S GRACE GILLIS MET WITH BAND MEMBERS TO UNDERSTAND BETTER HOW THE GROUP THAT TAKES THE FIELD DURING HALFTIME SETS A TONE FOR EXCELLENCE. GRACE >>YEAH, KERMIT, I'M IN LOTTO JUST OUTSIDE OF FURROW FIELD, AND YOU CAN FEEL THE EXCITEMENT IN THE AIR. I'VE TALKED WITH TAILGATERS HERE WHO SAY GAME DAYS IN COLUMBIA ARE JUST SO SPECIAL, AND WHAT MAKES IT SO MEMORABLE IS NOT ONLY WHAT THEY SEE ON THE FIELD, BUT WHAT THEY HEAR WHILE THEY'RE IN THE STANDS AS THOUSANDS OF MISSOURI FANS PACK MEMORIAL STADIUM, THEY'RE GREETED BY A GAME DAY SYMPHONY WHERE THE SOUNDTRACK TO EVERYONE'S GAME DAY MARCHING MIZZOU HAS BEEN PROVIDING TIGER FANS WITH MUSIC FOR 139 YEARS. OUR STUDENTS WORK EVERY DAY IN PREPARATION FOR THAT GAME DAY, DIRECTOR AMY KNOPS SAYS. IT'S NOT WITHOUT GREAT DEDICATION. IT IS QUITE EXTENSIVE. THE 350 MEMBER BAND PRACTICING FOR TWO HOURS EVERY DAY OUTSIDE, BATTLING THE HEAT HUMIDITY AND BEATING SUN. TRULY MARCHING MIZZOU IS A 365 DAY ACTIVITY. THE PREPARATIONS DON'T STOP ONCE FOOTBALL DOES. OUR STUDENTS ARE WORKING IN THE OFF SEASON JUST AS MUCH AS THEY'RE WORKING IN SEASON BUT SENIOR ALEX BAUER SAYS HE WOULDN'T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY. >>I CAN'T SEE MY LIFE WITHOUT MARCHING MIZZOU. >>THE PERCUSSIONIST FINDING GREAT JOY IN MAKING MUSIC ALONGSIDE HIS BEST FRIENDS. IT HAS REALLY CHANGED WHO I AM >>IT'S MADE ME A BETTER PERSON. >>IT'S MADE ME THE PERSON THAT I ALWAYS WISH I COULD BE. >>WE'RE A BAND FAMILY. WE TAKE GREAT CARE OF ONE ANOTHER. WE WORK HARD FOR AND WITH ONE ANOTHER. THE BAND'S HARD WORK COMING TO A HEAD EACH WEEK AS THEY FILL FAUROT FIELD WITH THE SOUNDS OF GAME DAY. IT IS SO EXCITING, ALMOST OVERWHELMING. WE GET JUST AS EXCITED TO GET OUT THERE ON THE FIELD AND GIVE A SOLID PERFORMANCE YESTERDAY, I ASKED SOME MARCHING MIZZOU MEMBERS ABOUT THEIR GAME DAY PREDICTIONS AND THEY HAD NO HESITATION THEY THINK MIZZOU IS GOING TO WALK AWAY WITH A WIN TONIGHT AND WE'LL FIND OUT SOON. BUT FOR NOW, REPORTING LIVE IN COLUMBIA GRACE GILLIS KRCG 13