ROTC students to relay game ball from Starkville to Oxford, raise money for charity
ROTC cadets from the University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University will relay the Egg Bowl game ball more than 100 miles on Sunday, November 25, 2024, ahead of the annual rivalry game.
Bulldog cadets from the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines will start the first leg of the run at 5 am and ferry the ball to Calhoun City, where they will meet the Magnolia Battalion from Ole Miss. The Rebel runners will then relay the 40-mile jog to bring the ball to The Lyceum steps by 8 pm.
“The reality is that we maintain a great relationship with the MSU ROTC program – we train together, work together and ultimately, these cadets will serve together,” said Lt. Col. Nicholas Kalitka, commanding officer of UM ROTC. “The Egg Bowl Run provides an opportunity to showcase pride in our respective schools while simultaneously benefiting the community.”
Both teams will also run a canned food drive to donate to the Calhoun City Chamber of Commerce, which will disperse the supplies to two churches that operate food pantries in the region. The UM Department of Military Science is taking donations at Barnard Hall through Friday, November 22.
Nearly 50 cadets will participate in this year’s run, said Maj. Josh Edwards, assistant professor of military science.
The Egg Bowl Run began in 2013 as a way for Ole Miss and Mississippi State ROTC groups to support university athletics and to raise money for good causes. In its early years, donations helped support the Ole Miss Army ROTC Fund and the Rebel Battalion Cadet Activity Fund.
The battalion’s name has since been changed to the Magnolia Battalion in reference to the state’s official flower and tree.
An Ignite Ole Miss campaign helps support the annual event. Click here to support the Egg Bowl Run.
By Clara Turnage
