BATON ROUGE - Football fans gathered Saturday afternoon at Southern University as the Jaguars got ready to take on the Braves from Alcorn State University.

"Tailgating is back. We definitely missed it during the pandemic," Jaguar fan Charles Carter said.

Carter with his family and friends tailgating for the first time in more than a year, but there's something different around the university this weekend, with police officers and state troopers all over the place.

"You can never be too safe, so I appreciate the extra protection. You can never be too safe," Carter said.

"We're here to make a difference," Baton Rouge Police Sargent L'Jean McKneely said.

McKneely was with the police department's mobile command center on Saturday, which was parked just blocks away from the university.

"Baton Rouge Police and State Police are out here patrolling the outskirts of the campus," McKneely said.

The extra law enforcement comes after several suspects were arrested last week near Southern, with multiple guns, including an assault rifle.

The Chief of the Baton Rouge Police Department helped arrest two suspects after a shooting that also took place near the university during homecoming activities.

"When they see law enforcement in the area, constantly patrolling the area, that tends to change their idea of want they may want to do," McKneely said.

The extra patrols will be out again for Southern's last two home games next month.