Wabash 45, DePauw 7
DePauw University, in Greencastle, and Wabash College, in Crawfordsville, and are only 28 miles apart in adjoining counties about 50 miles west of Indianapolis.
Coming into the 118th Monon Bell Classic, an annual renewal of these two rivals battling it out on the football gridiron for possession of the coveted bell, Wabash had won two consecutive Classics and had a 9-0 record in 2011.
Just how big or important is the annual Monon Bell Classic?
Coming into the 118th Monon Bell Classic, an annual renewal of these two rivals battling it out on the football gridiron for possession of the coveted bell, Wabash had won two consecutive Classics and had a 9-0 record in 2011.
Anyone can learn the following by pulling up the Monon Bell Classic entry on Wikipedia, but for convenience, I’ll share what the entry relates about this rivalry:
Most significant is that it is one of the oldest in all of college football – not just NCAA Division III. The rivalry between DePauw and Wabash, one of only three all-male colleges in the United States, began in 1890 and is the oldest college football rivalry west of the Alleghenies in which more than 100 games have been played.
The 300-pound locomotive bell awarded as the prize to the school that wins the annual gridiron meeting was first introduced as a traveling trophy in 1932 at the suggestion of a DePauw alumnus, Orien Fifer (Class of 1925), in a letter to the editor to The Indianapolis News. Today's 300-pound Monon Bell is from an actual train that rode the former Monon railroad whose expanse had been almost entirely in Indiana; it had termini in Chicago and Louisville.
The Monon railroad was merged into the Louisville and Nashville Railroad in 1971, and the now abandoned right of way is controlled by CSX Corp. The railroad figures into this particular football rivalry because, in its functional days, the line served both schools and four other Indiana institutions of higher learning on parts beyond -- (the now former) St. Joseph's College in Rensselaer, Ind.; Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., Butler University in Indianapolis; and Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind.
Wabash leads the career series between the two schools, 63-57-9 (as of 2023), and has a slight advantage as well since the bell was introduced in ’32 (44-41-6). A seven-game winning streak, from 2009-15, helped the Little Giants secure both advantages. The seven-game winning streak tied Wabash’s mark for the most consecutive wins in the series. The Little Giants also won seven in a row from 1921-27.
The Monon railroad was merged into the Louisville and Nashville Railroad in 1971, and the now abandoned right of way is controlled by CSX Corp. The railroad figures into this particular football rivalry because, in its functional days, the line served both schools and four other Indiana institutions of higher learning on parts beyond -- (the now former) St. Joseph's College in Rensselaer, Ind.; Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., Butler University in Indianapolis; and Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind.
Wabash leads the career series between the two schools, 63-57-9 (as of 2023), and has a slight advantage as well since the bell was introduced in ’32 (44-41-6). A seven-game winning streak, from 2009-15, helped the Little Giants secure both advantages. The seven-game winning streak tied Wabash’s mark for the most consecutive wins in the series. The Little Giants also won seven in a row from 1921-27.
DePauw’s longest win streak is five (1960-64 and 1996 to 2000), but the Tigers hold the mark for the most consecutive years without losing. From 1955-64, the Tigers won seven and played two ties – both 7-7 – in 1956 and 6-6 in ’59.
There have been six years during the period beginning in 1890 when the teams did not play each other. Four of those came from 1897-99, when they simply neglected to put each other on their schedules. In 1910, the teams decided not to play because of the death of Wabash’s star halfback, Ralph Lee Wilson. And in 2020, neither school played any football because of the COVID pandemic (Note: DePauw would play three games (one, vs. the College of Wooster, was labeled an exhibition) in March 2021 and a full slate in the fall).
Unbeaten Wabash entered the 2011 Monon Bell game at DePauw’s then-natural grass turf Blackstock Stadium brimming with confidence. The previous week, the Little Giants had clinched the outright championship of the North Coast Athletic Conference by defeating previously unbeaten Wittenberg College (Springfield, Ohio) at Crawfordsville, and on Nov. 19, it would begin play in the NCAA Division III postseason playoffs.
Wabash fans came to the game demonstrating support of their team and its unblemished record by wearing white sweatshirts emblazoned with the words "Occupy DePauw," a rallying cry on attire that would been seen in future Classic meetings, and by incessantly ringing the bell (see photo above) that they still had in their possession from victory in the previous year's Classic.
Another feature of the Monon Bell game is attendance. So rich is the rivalry, that alumni from both schools make a point to attend the annual game. Because of the extra crowd attendance, stadium crews at each school add extra temporary stands around their gridiron. On this date, the seats weren’t filled to the brim, but there was sufficient extra attendance that the extra seating helped.
As noted above, Wabash supporters tolled the bell constantly throughout the day, starting at about 45 minutes or so before kickoff and continuing until game's end. Students and fans take turns methodically ringing the bell along the holder’s sideline throughout the game, and afterward, the tolling continues for the winning school in an on-field celebration until every last person who wants to has had a chance to ring it.
The 2011 Classic started innocently enough. Wabash scored first at the end of its longest offensive drive of the day – 38 yards in nine plays – and settling for a 32-yard field goal by Ian MacDougall.
Indeed, Wabash would rely heavily on its defense and special teams to amass most of its 45 points on the day. The Little Giants barely needed its passing game; they would complete only two throws the whole game.
After the field goal, the Wabash defense flexed its muscles, forcing a DePauw fumble by senior quarterback Will King, with Little Giants senior defensive lineman Luke Zinsmaster recovering at the DePauw 33-yard line.
Two plays later, junior running back Vann Hunt scampered 30 yards for Wabash’s first touchdown. After the PAT, the score was 10-0 with 2:51 left in the first quarter. Less than 20 seconds later, Wabash junior defensive back Jonathan Koop stepped in front of a King pass and ran it back 22 yards to give Wabash a 17-0 lead.
But The Little Giants still weren’t through in the quarter. After the defense forced another DePauw three-and-out, Wabash junior Wes Chamblee caught the ensuing DePauw punt on the opponent’s 44-yard line and ran it into the end zone. The quarter ended with the Little Giants ahead 24-0.
Wabash scored only once in the second quarter, but it came on a questionable call (in my opinion) by the game officials with DePauw pinned deep in its own territory. Inside the 5-yard line, quarterback Will King was under intense pressure from the Little Giants’ defensive rush when he went back to pass near the goal line. Wabash freshman linebacker AJ Akinribade forced King to fumble, and junior teammate Pat Clegg fell on the ball in the end zone. The referees ruled it a touchdown.
I was standing behind the back of the end zone and recorded the entire play in pictures. My photos show King’s knee touching the ground in play – approximately at the ½-yard line – while still in control of the ball. The ball would fall loose moments later. It was a bam-bam play, and I know the refs had to make a judgment call, but I believe the refs got it wrong in this case.
In the end, losing the score wouldn't have made much difference. The Little Giants led at half, 31-0.
The Tigers finally got on the scoreboard with one second left in the third quarter when senior running back Jon Ellis ran 5 yards for a touchdown, concluding a five-play drive covering 43 yards.
Wabash scored twice more in the fourth quarter, once on a 28-yard interception return by freshman defensive back Denzel Wilkins and again on a 4-yard run by sophomore reserve quarterback Andy Wash.
But The Little Giants still weren’t through in the quarter. After the defense forced another DePauw three-and-out, Wabash junior Wes Chamblee caught the ensuing DePauw punt on the opponent’s 44-yard line and ran it into the end zone. The quarter ended with the Little Giants ahead 24-0.
Wabash scored only once in the second quarter, but it came on a questionable call (in my opinion) by the game officials with DePauw pinned deep in its own territory. Inside the 5-yard line, quarterback Will King was under intense pressure from the Little Giants’ defensive rush when he went back to pass near the goal line. Wabash freshman linebacker AJ Akinribade forced King to fumble, and junior teammate Pat Clegg fell on the ball in the end zone. The referees ruled it a touchdown.
I was standing behind the back of the end zone and recorded the entire play in pictures. My photos show King’s knee touching the ground in play – approximately at the ½-yard line – while still in control of the ball. The ball would fall loose moments later. It was a bam-bam play, and I know the refs had to make a judgment call, but I believe the refs got it wrong in this case.
In the end, losing the score wouldn't have made much difference. The Little Giants led at half, 31-0.
The Tigers finally got on the scoreboard with one second left in the third quarter when senior running back Jon Ellis ran 5 yards for a touchdown, concluding a five-play drive covering 43 yards.
Wabash scored twice more in the fourth quarter, once on a 28-yard interception return by freshman defensive back Denzel Wilkins and again on a 4-yard run by sophomore reserve quarterback Andy Wash.
When the clock ticked down to zero in the fourth quarter, the Monon Bell remained safely in the hands of the Little Giants, and Wabash fans swarmed the field to share in the celebration. The players helped hoist the bell high for all to see, after which they put it down on the turf, where players and fans alike took turns pulling the bell lever, extending the same incessant intonation that had been heard within a two-block radius of Blackstock Stadium since nearly five and a half hours earlier.
The loss ended DePauw’s season with a 4-5 record. 10-0 Wabash (10-0) was indeed invited to the NCAA Division III postseason tournament and won its first two games at home – 38-20 against Illinois College and 29-28 against North Central College. The Little Giants then traveled to Alliance, Ohio, to play – and lose to – eventual tournament runnerup Mount Union 20-8.
Above: DePauw running back Ben Lauderdale (32) is hauled down by Wabash's Kyle Najar after a 5-yard pass reception on a third-and-11 play on the Tigers' first series of downs in the first quarter.
Above: Wabash running back Vann Hunt (17) nears the end of a 33-yard scamper for the game's first score. If you weren't able to tell from the field vantage point that Hunt was nearing the goal, surely you could tell from reactions along the Wabash sideline indicating that the run to the house was nearing its climax. The Little Giants' possession on this set of downs came on a fumble recovery.
Above: DePauw running back Jon Ellis, aided by a nice block by lineman Mitch Turnbow, found a moment of daylight on this rush in the first quarter.
Above and below: DePauw kick returner Taylor Wagner (3) managed to get only 3 yards to the DePauw 31-yard line on this return of a Cameron Sobleski punt in the first quarter. Wabash's Sean Hildebrand (23) put a stop to the progress promptly.
Above: Wabash's Jonathan Koop (8) appears in position to make the stop of Damon Megerle (29) on this first-quarter punt return, but Megerle managed to slip past Koop. Little Giants special teams members Cody Buresh and Derrick McQuiston got Megerle down shortly thereafter at the DePauw 21-yard line. But officials penalized the Tigers for holding on the play, and the ball was moved back to the 11-yard line.
Above and below: Wabash quarterback Chase Belton appears ready to get a block from teammate Vann Hunt (17) to avoid a tackle by DePauw linebacker J.D. Robinson (41). Moments later, Robinson got help on the play from fellow linebacker Matt Johnson (11), who forced Belton to run out of bounds (below), but not before Belton had gained 12 yards on the first-quarter play.
Above and next three below: DePauw's already dire situation got worse in the second period. With the Tigers pinned deep in their own territory, quarterback Will King was caught near the goal line and sacked by AJ Akrinabade, who then pulled King down to the turf (first frame below). The combination of King's knee hitting turf and awkward landing and Akrinabade's right hand pushing forward helped jar the ball loose from King (second frame below), and Little Giants defensive lineman Clegg (66, far right in second frame) fell on the ball in the end zone. The officials ruled it a fumble, and a Wabash recovery and touchdown.
To view a full gallery of images from the game, follow the link in this sentence.
Above and below: Wabash defenders Houston Hodges (1), CJ Gum (33) and Jonathon Koop (8) stop DePauw receiver Bobby Coburn after a 4-yard first-quarter pass reception.
Above: Koop (8) nears the completion of a 22-yard touchdown return of a DePauw pass interception.
Above: Still in the first quarter, Wes Chamblee nears paydirt with a 44-yard punt return, the third TD in front of the Little Giants' sideline. The score put Wabash ahead 24-0.
Above: Later in the half, with DePauw defensive lineman Robert Amie (99) lurking on the right, Belton navigated a swarm of bodies for a modest gain.
Above: Tigers punter Eric Malm (17) was challenged by this high, long snap from center. Malm managed to steady himself and get off the punt.
Above: The Tigers' Jon Ellis is gang tackled by Little Giants Cody Buresh (39), Luke Zinsmaster (54) and Pat Clegg (66).
Above: Returning to the field for the second half, Tiger players locked arms in solidarity, perhaps to help inspire a reversal of fortune on the gridiron.
Above: DePauw's Nikko Sansone (4) lunges for extra yardage at the end of his only pass reception of the game, for 9 yards. Making the tackle is Wabash's Austin Hodges (2).
Above: King fires a pass to the Tigers' D.J. Steward (8), who made the reception for a 9-yard gain.
Above: Blitzing Wabash defensive back Kyle Bottos (7) bears down on DePauw quarterback Will King in hopes for a sack. King managed to get the pass off just before Bottos crashed into him.
Above: Wabash quarterback Andy Walsh (11) hurdles several DePauw defenders en route to a 4-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run that concluded scoring in the game.
Above: Members of the Wabash College Sphinx Club kept watch over the Monon Bell along the sideline before and during the game, allowing fans such as this woman -- with a red "W" smeared on her abdomen -- to take a turn ringing the bell that did not silence until the field cleared well after the game ended.
Above and remaining images below: Scenes from the postgame celebration, beginning with the joyous expressions on the faces of Sphinx Club members, followed by the fan spillover onto the field; the players' hoisting the bell above the crowd and everyone reaching to touch it; and a return of the bell to the turf, where more people -- players and fans alike -- could get a turn to sound the prized trophy.
Next up: Chapter 8, DePauw University campus
Previously in Game Day Revisited:
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