Lt. Col. Marvin Meek, chair and professor of military science and tactics, presented ISU head football coach Dan McCarney a football Wednesday in front of a statue of former ISU football player Jack Trice. The presentation was a part of annual Game Ball Run festivities associated with the Iowa State-Iowa game.

The Game Ball Run, which is in its 18th year, began as a fundraiser to benefit a ROTC cadet from the University of Iowa who was fighting multiple sclerosis. ROTC cadets from the University of Iowa ran with a football from Iowa City to Tama (the halfway mark). At that point, ISU ROTC cadets took the ball to Ames.

Today, the event is still used as a fundraiser, but proceeds now go to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 2nd Lt. Chad Humphrey said.

This year’s run will begin early Friday morning in Iowa City. After Iowa’s ROTC hands the ball off in Tama, 16 senior ISU cadets will then take turns running the 68-mile stretch from Tama to Ames.

“It’s one thing to be involved, but to get out there and go the distance between the two towns is fantastic,” McCarney said.

Humphrey said the football is expected to arrive at Jack Trice Stadium around 7 p.m. The ball will then be put into a display case at the Armory for viewing.

—Lindsay Brantner