As much of Iowa anticipates Saturday’s Cy-Hawk battle, a lot of cooperation between the two universities goes on behind the scenes.

While the Iowa and ISU players and fans prepare to square off, ROTC programs at both schools prepare to continue their historical run from Ames to Iowa City.

This year, Iowa State will deliver the game ball to Iowa.

“Every year for the past 19 years the Iowa and Iowa State ROTC cadets have participated in the game-ball run,” said Aaron Beckman, senior in anthropology. “It was set up in 1986 to raise money for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.”

Beckman said one of Iowa’s cadets was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1986, and the run was founded to raise money and awareness about the disease.

The run begins at the visiting team’s campus and eventually makes its way into the gates of the home team’s stadium.

The same football that is carried the 140 miles is used in the opening kickoff every year.

The run will begin at 5:30 a.m. Friday at the ISU Armory and will reach Tama around 11:30 a.m.

Beckman said it is an exciting event for the cadets, despite the amount of running and biking involved. The tradition among the two schools allows the schools to bond on a weekend where they would otherwise be fighting.

“This is a way to show that, even on the eve of one of the biggest game rivalries of the year, there is still a drive to participate together,” Beckman said. “We will accomplish raising money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.”

Anyone who wants to contribute to NMSS can contact Capt. Stacy Seaworth at (319)335-9187.

She will have more information on where contributions can be sent.