Demons Come Out at Night Pep Rally is an event hosted by First Year Experience (FYE) and the University Programming Council (UPC) to engage the student body in supporting Demon Football. NSU spirit groups such as Purple Pizzazz Pom Line, Demon Dazzlers and the Spirit of Northwestern Marching Band perform in the name of school spirit. These performances are all in anticipation of the night’s main act—Jesse McCartney, who ended the pep rally with a concert.

Dane Wallace, a sports and recreation management graduate student and player for NSU Demon football, loves the feeling of being part of what the pep rally is meant to celebrate. “It feels good to see everybody coming together and still supporting us after the setbacks that we’ve had,” Wallace said. “It feels good to know that we have a solid crowd behind us, and it makes us want to go harder.”

The pep rally allowed athletes, staff and students to come together and be a part of an event that shows the pride that comes with being an NSU Demon. The support of students and faculty behind the team allowed them to fight for history, pushing the Demons to win their first football game since 2022.

Hunter Thomas, a senior communication major and cheerleader, expressed his hopes that the energy at the pep rally would carry over to the game. “We always like to bring energy wherever we are. I hope we keep the same energy tonight until tomorrow,” Thomas said.

Shaylee Gaspard, a sophomore psychology major, came to enjoy the experience with her friends and appreciate the Jesse McCartney concert. “I think it’s so cool that he is here and that he played with the Jonas Brothers,” Gaspard said.

Kate Evans, a senior business administration major and member of Demon VIP, got to be very hands-on in helping with the pep rally. “We had to form a human wall to keep the students back, and it was so much fun. It gets more and more hype each year, and it just keeps getting better,” Evans said.