In athletics academics, rivalries are commonplace. Our rivalry with the University of Toledo is nothing out of the ordinary college life. However, few rivalries result in fights as bloody as the Blood Bowl.

Now in its second year, the aptly titled Blood Bowl II is a friendly competition between Bowling Green State University and the University of Toledo to determine which school can donate more blood to the American Red Cross.

The event kicked off Oct. 28 with the start of UT’s four-day Blood Drive, and has continued since then at the Red Cross Donor Center in Toledo, where donors have voted for their favorite institution, thus attributing their donation to that school. The three-week-long event will come to a close at the conclusion of the BG Blood Drive Nov. 11-14. This Blood Drive will be held in the Student Union Ballroom.

Our Blood Drive will run from 11a.m.-5p.m. for those four days. The Drive is open to the public, and walk-ins are welcome. Participants will receive a Blood Bowl t-shirt.

“The two schools are using this traditional rivalry to actually join together in an effort to save lives,” Bonnie Meridieth, the American Red Cross Donor Recruitment Manager, said.

Additional motivation to show up and participate is the fact that BG is defending its title this year, the University won the first Blood Bowl, which generated 1,758 units of donated blood. The winning school will be awarded a traveling trophy at the UT-BG football game.