COLUMBUS – For the 38th year in a row, arch-rivals Ohio State and Michigan will square off at the blood donation center weeks before they meet on the gridiron.
The annual Blood Battle between OSU and “That School Up North” kicks off Thursday at the Ohio Union 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
Two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin and former Buckeye running back “Beanie” Wells will be on hand to autograph Blood Battle T-shirts for the first people to line up. Organizers hope to get the event off to a good start with 100 donations on the first day.
The goal for the friendly competition, which runs through Nov. 27, is 2,000 donations
In 2018, the two schools combined for more than 4,500 blood donations.
Michigan won by “a narrow margin,” organizers say.
The blood drive is organized by the Versiti Blood Center of Ohio, the blood provider to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.