Before the football can be kicked off at Johnny Unitas Stadium Saturday night, it will be run 58 miles from the University of Delaware to Towson, in the arms of student-athletes from both schools.
The relay, which was also held last year when the Tigers took on the Blue Hens, serves as a charity for Special Olympics Maryland and Special Olympics Delaware. The money raised by each school goes to their respective Special Olympics Chapters.
The journey of the game-ball will begin Saturday morning, when runners from Delaware will carry the ball to Festival Park in Aberdeen. After a ceremony with speakers including the mayor of Aberdeen and Towson basketball head coach Pat Kennedy, the ball will be handed from Delaware's mascot, YoUDee, to Doc the Tiger. From there Towson's runners will take over.
More than 300 student athletes are running in the relay this year, 175 of them from Towson, Margie Tversky, associate director of athletics for student services, said.
"We have broken the athletes up into three squads of runners. Each group will cover 10 miles and each athlete is expected to run one mile, but they can run the mile they are assigned and then any additional ones before or after that that they want," Tversky said.
Runner busses will follow each group so runners who have finished their mile, or who just want to rest can ride along. Law enforcement escorts will also accompany the groups.
The relay will end when the ball is presented in Johnny Unitas Stadium before the football game.
"The student athletes at Towson are really eager to help their fellow student athletes in the Special Olympics," Tversky said.
As of Tuesday the donations had already exceeded what was raised last year, Tversky said. As of Wednesday night over $18,000 had been raised, $9,852 by the University of Delaware and $8324 by Towson.
"I think there's a real appreciation for the fact that it's inspirational to see these kids engaged in athletic competition, especially since Towson hosts the Maryland Special Olympics each year," she said.
Donations can be made at www.pigskinpass.com. To support Towson's runners, click on the box for Towson University. Donations will be accepted up to a week after the event, Tversky said.
For more information about Pigskin Pass e-mail mtversky@towson.edu.
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