By DOUG GRAVES

Ohio Correspondent

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Farmers and football players have more in common than most people think. For starters, both engage in combines. Both groups make many passes on the fields they work. And both are often faced with inclement weather.

Now the two groups will work together on the same field during the Land O’Lakes Farm Bowl on Feb. 1, just three days before Super Bowl LII. The event will take place from 1-3 p.m. at the 3M Arena at Mariucci, the home to the University of Minnesota’s men’s hockey team. The arena will be transformed into a farm-themed competition course.

Six teams, each comprised of an NFL player and one farmer, will take to the competition farm field. The teams will compete in four challenges that exemplify the core principles of the NFL and modern farming: strength, endurance, intelligence and coordination.

“The event will pit teams of current and former professional football players and Land O’Lakes farmers against each other in a series of on-farm experiences and lighthearted, farm-themed challenges to demonstrate the skill, determination and grit required to succeed as a farmer today,” said Kim Olson, chief communications officer at Land O’Lakes.

”We wanted to be able to showcase the similarities of what pro football players and farmers go through. We wanted to put together something fun and something that would showcase modern farming.”

“The Land O’Lakes Farm Bowl is a unique event bringing together two seemingly unlike fields of football and farming to celebrate the important work of farmers and inspire the next generation of leaders in the agriculture industry,” said Jerome Bettis, former running back with the Pittsburgh Steelers and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“I look forward to competing and testing my skills alongside some great athletes and outstanding farmers.”

NFL standouts include Bettis and Minnesota Vikings’ tight end Kyle Rudolph, as well as former players Greg Jennings and Jason Brown.

“Our platform as professional athletes is to teach these kids that although everyone wants to grow up to be a professional athlete, it’s just as important to become a doctor, lawyer or even a farmer,” Rudolph said.

Also participating will be six farmers from across the country, including Amber Horn-Leiterman of Hornstead Dairy in Brillion, Wis.

“I have four boys at home and they want to be an NFL player someday, but we know that’s not a realistic possibility, as few boys become NFL players,” she said. “As farmers we make up less than 2 percent of the population, so there are very few numbers of us, as well.”

The other farmers playing this year will be Katie Dotterer-Pyle of Cow Comfort Inn in Union Bridge, Md.; Darin Johnson of Johnson Farms in Wells, Minn.; David Ribeiro of Rib Arrow Dairy, and J.J. Nunes of Nunes and Sons Dairy, both in Tulare, Calif.; and Craig Roerick of Roerview Dairy in Swanville, Minn.

The first challenge on the agenda is the Milk Pipe Puzzle. The two-person teams will need to first prime the milk pump and ensure it’s working, then grab the missing pipes to continue the assembly. Contestants will soon learn that not all pipe pieces fit the same way, so things may get tricky.

Second is the Tractor Tire Change. In this challenge teams will have to use both strength and intelligence, as they not only move heavy tractor tires, but successfully change them. Only when they have the tires on and fastened to the proper torque specs can they advance to the next challenge.

Third stop is the Hay Bale Backup. Problem-solving and teamwork are the key in this challenge. Teams will need to load and stack 10 hay bales onto a tractor. Then, they must successfully transport them across the field and back their rigs up to a loading platform.

Fourth is the Drone Drop. It will take pure precision and serious skill to fly high-tech drones over a crop field and drop colored pouches onto specified targets.

The top two teams will then compete in a fifth challenge, The Big Feed Run. In this finale, the first team to move 500 pounds of feed down the field and across the finish line will be crowned Land O’Lakes Farm Bowl Champions.

“Farm Bowl is all about elevating the story of modern agriculture,” Olson said. “Many people still consider farming to be an antiquated profession when, in reality, it’s driven by innovation and technology. And here we have the opportunity to showcase the farmers who help us to feed human progress.”

ESPN reporter Marty Smith will host the event while multi-platinum recording artist/actor Jordin Sparks will provide sideline commentary.