By the time you read this it will likely be Monon Bell Day. It just doesn’t get any better than this for small college football, especially in Indiana and the Midwest.
I don’t know for sure, but I would find it hard to believe that any other small college football game gets as much coverage as the annual Monon Bell game. I remember watching the game on TV on ABC in 1977. That was well before a plethora of football games were available on television as we have today. The game was then on ESPN2 in 1994 and then every game since 2003 has been on television stations such as AXS TV, Fox Indiana Sports, DirectTV and IASC Sports Network. As far as print media, it has been covered by Sports Illustrated, Wall Street Journal, and virtually every sized paper from all over the state.
This year the game is being played off-campus for just the seventh time in the 132 times the game has been played. From 1916-1922 the game was played in Indianapolis six times. Since 1923, the game has been played on one of the two campuses every year until this year as DePauw’s field is undergoing a complete overhaul and was not available.
For one, I am not excited about the game being played off-campus. Sure, the stadium at Ball State can hold more than 20,000 fans so getting a ticket should not be a problem this year. But who wants to make a two-hour drive? Fans start arriving at the respective campuses late in the week most years, but are they going to want to do that at Ball State? Not sure about tailgating for two or three hours, watching the game and then making that long trip back. And a big part of the tradition and glamour of the game is the campus atmosphere. That won’t be the same.
Nevertheless, this is the Bell Game.
On paper, this game seems to favor the Tigers (8-1) who still have a good shot at making the NCAA D3 playoffs with a win. For Wabash (5-4) this has been a bit of a disappointing season, but you know what would make it a good season? Yep — a win in the Bell Game.
It would make the season for the Little Giants. Adding to that, snapping a four-game winning streak for the Tigers and keeping them out of the playoffs would be icing on the cake.
This time of the year I always get asked what games I remember the most. That’s a tough one having seen so many, but here are a few:
• One of the earliest memories I have was the 1986 game won by Wabash 24-23. Wabash rallied from 17 points down to take a 24-23 lead with a field goal with just over a minute remaining. DePauw came storming back and drove the ball to the Wabash 19 but was unable to get the field goal team on the field to get the game-winning attempt off.
• Of course the 101st meeting played at Wabash in 1994 had the best start of any game ever. In front of a national ESPN2 audience, Wabash’s George Lino opened the game with a 94-yard kickoff return and then DePauw’s Jon Holloway returned the favor on the ensuing kickoff with a 95-yard return. The national broadcasters were stunned as was the standing-room only crowd. DePauw won that game 28-24.
• There was the “Blizzard Game” of 1995 at DePauw. Wabash’s Chris Ings scored the game’s only touchdown in the fourth quarter in a game played on a field where you couldn’t even see the field because of the snow.
• More recently there was “The Catch” game at Greencastle in 2001. Trailing with 13 seconds to play, Jake Knott heaved a desperate pass toward the end zone where Ryan Short caught a deflected ball in the end zone for the winning score on the final play giving the Little Giants a 27-21 win.
• In 2006, it was DePauw’s turn to win on the final play at Blackstock Stadium. This time DePauw’s Jordan Havercamp, who had never attempted a field goal, booted a 47-yard kick on the final play of the game, lifting the Tigers to a 24-20 win and ending Wabash’s bid for an undefeated season.
Of course there are many other great games but these are some of my favorites. Will the 2026 game be added to the list?
Barry Lewis has been involved in Montgomery County sports as a player, fan, sportswriter, broadcaster or a coach for more than 50 years. He keeps the memories alive through this column and the Montgomery County & More Facebook page.
