Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Cadets from Ole Miss and Mississippi State will relay nearly 100 miles across the state on Sunday for the annual Egg Bowl Run to collect canned foods to feed rural residents.
As a part of the annual run ahead of the rivalry that takes place on the gridiron – in which cadets from the Army, Air Force, Marine, and Navy ROTC deliver the game ball to the university hosting the Egg Bowl – the opposing teams will meet at the Calhoun City town square, where supporters can join the cadets for a one-mile run around the town.
Both teams will deliver their canned goods to the Calhoun City Chamber of Commerce, where they will be dispersed to two local churches that operate food pantries.
“It’s an opportunity for cadets to challenge themselves, with some running 15+ miles of the approximately 60-mile distance. It’s also an opportunity to see cadets grow in the program as they plan and coordinate the event. It’s a chance to collaborate with Ole Miss ROTC programs to have a friendly rivalry and support a local food drive,” MSU Army ROTC Director Lt. Col. Jason Posey said.
“The community and Calhoun City Chamber of Commerce do a phenomenal job hosting a ceremony and feeding our cadets. I’ve been amazed at the amount of people who cheer us along and break out their cowbells as we pass by. Lastly, the MSU Athletic Department and coaching staff have always been supportive of the game ball presentation ceremony when I know they are so busy getting ready to beat Ole Miss.”
The Ole Miss cadets will start from the Old Armory Pavilion on University Avenue at 5 a.m. Sunday. They will carry the ball from Oxford to Calhoun City, where they will hand it off to MSU cadets for the second leg of the nearly 100-mile run to Starkville.
A 10-year tradition, the Egg Bowl Run began in 2013 as a way for Ole Miss and Mississippi State ROTC groups to support university athletics and raise money for good causes.
