Nearly 50 Army ROTC cadets from the University of Iowa — carrying a football — run down State Street in Williamsburg on Friday on their way to Tama, where they’ll hand off the football to ROTC cadets from Iowa State University. The ISU cadets will run the football to Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, where the ISU Cyclones play the UI Hawkeyes on Saturday. This is the 35th Game Ball Run, with the first run taking place Sept. 19, 1987. (Geoff Stellfox/The Gazette)

Cadet John Gualtieri safeguards the symbolic game ball on Friday outside Kinnick Stadium at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. Nearly 50 Army ROTC cadets ran the ball to Tama, where they handed off the ball to cadets from Iowa State University for transport to Ames and Saturday’s game between the Cyclones and Hawkeyes. (Geoff Stellfox/The Gazette)

Army ROTC Cadet Elizabeth Scoular carries the Army ROTC flag on Friday outside Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Cadets from the University of Iowa and Iowa State University are ferrying a symbolic football between Iowa City and Ames for Saturday’s game between the two universities. (Geoff Stellfox/The Gazette)

Army ROTC Cadet John Gualtieri, holding a football, follows Maj. Tim Black to the bus Friday outside Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Nearly 50 cadets from the University of Iowa ran the football from Iowa City to Tama, where they handed off the ball to cadets from Iowa State University during the 35th Game Ball Run. (Geoff Stellfox/The Gazette)

Army ROTC cadets from the University of Iowa run down State Street in Williamsburg on Friday during the 35th Game Ball Run. (Geoff Stellfox/The Gazette)

Army ROTC cadets from the University of Iowa run down State Street in Williamsburg on Friday. (Geoff Stellfox/The Gazette)

Ryne Christner, a physical education teacher at Iowa Valley Elementary in Marengo and a self-described Iowa State super fan, battles with Herky the Hawk for his Iowa State flag on Friday at the school — much to the delight of the watching students. Army ROTC cadets from the University of Iowa, and Herky, stopped by the school during the 35th Game Ball Run between Iowa City and Ames. (Geoff Stellfox/The Gazette)

Lt. Col. William Kuebler leads Army ROTC cadets and students in a pushup competition Friday at Iowa Valley Elementary School in Marengo. The cadets stopped by during the 35th Game Ball Run between Iowa City and Ames, leading up to Saturday’s game between the Hawkeyes and Cyclones. (Geoff Stellfox/The Gazette)

Army ROTC cadets from the University of Iowa run past Rose Haven Nursing Home on Friday in Marengo. (Geoff Stellfox/The Gazette)

Army ROTC cadets from the University of Iowa, carrying the symbolic Hawks-Cyclones game football, prepare to enter Iowa Valley Elementary in Marengo for a Friday pep rally. This is the 35th Game Ball Run by ROTC cadets from the UI and Iowa State University. (Geoff Stellfox/The Gazette)