NATCHEZ &045; As if the football matchup between Alcorn and Grambling wasn’t enough to pack the stands, Gov. Ronnie Musgrove also showed up Saturday to deliver the game’s coin toss &045; and shake a few hands.

&uot;I’m here to see a great football game. Alcorn is playing very well this year,&uot; Musgrove said.

Besides, &uot;any time you get the chance to shake hands with this many voters&uot; it’s a good thing, he added as he made his way to meet a few university dignitaries outside Jack Spinks Stadium.

That’s especially crucial in an election year.

Both he and Republican gubernatorial nominee Haley Barbour have crisscrossed the state constantly in recent months, attending everything from church services to barbecues, in anticipation of the Nov. 4 general election.

Musgrove himself has been to Southwest Mississippi several times this year.

Those visits included a July campaign kickoff in which he came out verbally swinging against Barbour, calling him a &uot;big-time lobbyist.&uot;

Since then, Musgrove has offered few platform specifics in public appearances. A series of four debates between him and Barbour doesn’t start until later this month.

His visits to the region have also included talks with local officials he said were to discuss industrial prospects.

&uot;We’re continuing to work on several projects,&uot; although nothing has panned out as of yet, Musgrove said Saturday.

During Saturday’s appearance in Lorman, Musgrove spent the minutes before the game meeting and greeting tailgating fans.

&uot;This is an opportunity for me to be accessible to the people, the way I’ve always been,&uot; Musgrove said.

Musgrove has visited the university frequently during his tenure as governor, said Alcorn President Dr. Clinton Bristow Jr.

&uot;This shows that the governor is a people person and that he is not just supporting education (from Jackson), but in person,&uot; Bristow said.

&uot;Having him here means a lot to our students.&uot;

Those included Raqayya Forbes, president of the Alcorn Student Government Association, who described Musgrove’s visit as &uot;a great pleasure and an honor.&uot;

She and other student government officials formed a line, along with Bristow, to greet the governor on his way into the stadium.