Rutgers will let 22 kids affected by Hurricane Sandy play in final minutes of spring football game

Rutgers football is putting a new twist on giving back to their young fans in surrounding communities affected by Hurricane Sandy in a effort to raise funds as well as spirits.

Twenty-two children from sixth through eighth grade will have the opportunity to play the final five minutes of the team's Scarlet-White spring football game on April 27 in High Points Solutions Stadium, according to the Rutgers football website.

 It will not be an exhibition-style finish, either. According to the school, the last five minutes — with the children playing flag football — will have an impact on the final score.

Rutgers is asking kids who were affected by Hurricane Sandy to submit a short essay or photos through the Rutgers Football Facebook page. The 22 children selected to participate will get to spend the entire second half on the sideline of their respective team before hitting the field for the final five minutes.

RED ALERT: 22 kids who were impacted by Sandy will play in the final 5 minutes of the Scarlet-White game. bit.ly/17sV0HV
— Rutgers Football (@RFootball) April 11, 2013

Rutgers Athletics, with the help of Scarlet Fever in downtown New Brunswick, has raised more than $140,000 through the sale of merchandise to benefit the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund since last fall. The Rutgers team will also wear jerseys for the spring game with 90 names of towns across New Jersey that were affected by Hurricane Sandy. They will also wear special helmets with the "R Strong" logo on the sides.

It sounds like a win-win-win situation for the N.J. state university, the kids and all of the towns still picking up the pieces from the devastating storm.