Georgia Southern students will have a new place to gather and enjoy pre-game festivities at Paulson Stadium this season.The STZ, or Student Tailgate Zone, is located directly behind the Northwest corner of the stadium. It is a fenced-off, free tailgate area for all Georgia Southern students and will include interactive games, local vendors with free student giveaways and even live music.Twenty tailgate spots, which come with a table and chairs, will be available to reserve on a first-come, first-served basis every game for students and student groups. Students can bring in their own supplies, food and drink, and alcoholic beverages for students of the legal drinking age will be allowed in the STZ.All students are welcome into the STZ, regardless if they have a reserved tailgate spot. On-campus organizations will host the STZ each game, inviting all students to take part in their large tailgate tent, which may include food and activities."We are extremely excited about this new addition to Paulson Stadium and adding to the already tremendous support we get from our students," said, Associate Athletic Director for External Operations. "The STZ will be the premier place for students to gather and enjoy game day here at Georgia Southern."Entrance to the STZ will be through Gate 14 where Eagle IDs will be scanned and students handed a ticket stub. Students can also purchase a "Buddy Ticket" for $15, which will allow a non-Georgia Southern student into the area and into the game (limit 1 per person). "Buddy Tickets" may be purchased through the Georgia Southern Athletics Ticket Office located in the Cowart Building behind the Southeast corner of Paulson Stadium. Ticket office hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.The STZ will open at 1 p.m. for Saturday games and 3 p.m. for Thursday night contests and will close 30 minutes prior to kickoff. The STZ will be open for setup from 6-8 p.m. on the night before games, and students can retrieve their items from noon-2 p.m. the day after the game.Reservations for the STZ can be made at GSEagles.com/STZ , and an email will be sent to confirm the reservation. More information on the STZ as well as rules, regulations and the registration form can be found here , and below is a list of the hosts and bands for each contest.Sat., 9/6 – vs. Savannah State – Student Government/Multicultural Center – A Nikel Bag of Funk, 2:30-5:30 p.m.Thurs., 9/25 – vs. App. State - Fraternity and Sorority Life – Daniel Johnson Band, 4:30-7 p.m.Sat., 10/11 – vs. Idaho - Student Leadership and Civic Engagement – Brody Johnson Band, 2:30-5:30 .p.m.Thurs., 10/30 – vs. Troy - University Wellness Program – The Orange Constant, 4:30-7 p.m.Sat., 11/29 – vs. ULM - Local Student Lineup - DJ, 2-5:30 p.m.Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics and twitter.com/GSAthletics, and its new "Eagles GATA" mobile app for Android and iOS. For tickets to Georgia Southern Athletics Events, call 1-800-GSU-WINS or visit GSEagles.com.