DePauw, Wabash meet for 128th Monon Bell Game with NCAC title, NCAA bid on the line

It was only a year ago that DePauw was sitting in the middle of Little Giant Stadium with a 21-0 lead after a quarter of play, threatening to rout Wabash on its way to an unbeaten NCAC football title.

The Little Giants proceeded to score 42 of the next 49 points, ending the season on a high note rather than facing down a barely-above .500 finish.

Saturday, the two teams will arrive at Blackstock Stadium tied atop the NCAC standings and the winner of the 128th Monon Bell Game will be carrying home more than just the prized bell: a spot in the NCAA Football Division III Tournament. Kickoff is set for 1:07 p.m.

Despite a rivalry as rich as DePauw and Wabash share, Saturday will be the first time the pair have contested in a winner-take-all showdown for a conference title, though the teams have only contested the Bell Game 17 times as members of the same athletic association.

A theme of offense versus defense will be at play as Wabash is home to the nation’s No. 1 pass offense, averaging 378 ypg, while the DePauw defense is No. 18 nationally in points per game, giving up 12.6 in nine games, including four shutouts.

Wabash currently leads the all-time series 63-55-9 and 44-39-6 with the Bell on the line, including 10 of the last 12 games. The 77 points scored in the 2021 meeting were the second most in the series’ history, trailing only the 1893 meeting which DePauw won 48-34.

DePauw enters the game 8-1 with its only loss to Wittenberg, holding win streaks of five and three this season. After starting 2-2, the Little Giants have won five-straight contests, scoring 40 or more points in each outing. The three losses between the two teams have all been in home games.

Liam Thompson has throw for 3,353 yards on 228-of-309 passing, tossing 32 touchdowns in the process against just five interceptions.

Three different receivers have over 500 yards receiving, including Derek Allen, Jr. (51-849, eight touchdowns), Cooper Cullivan (46-709, five touchdowns) and Penn Stoller (36-662, eight touchdowns) while Heisman Skeens (28-379, five touchdowns), Jacob Riddle (24-267, touchdown) and Donovan Snyder (21-172, three touchdowns) all have 20-plus catches on the season.

Snyder leads the team in rushing (147-604, 11 touchdowns) while Thompson (66-372, seven touchdowns) adds an extra dimension with his feet.

Linebacker Gavin Ruppert leads Wabash with 86 tackles, 31 more than Joe Rios, who is second on the team in the category.

Steven Thomas has a team-high eight tackles for loss and is tied with Owen Volk and Jamari Washington with three sacks with the Little Giants having 42 tackles for loss at 18 sacks as defense, though as a group the Little Giants have only forced 11 turnovers this season.

DePauw has relied on the running game this season to hammer away at opponents with Gus Baumgartner (124-621, nine touchdowns) doing the heavy lifting while Drew Moore (66-359, four touchdowns) has spelled the lead back. Quarterbacks Wally Reine (55-369) and Nathan McCahill (46-215) have also contributed heavily in the run game.

Reine (89-142, 922 yards, 10 touchdowns) has led the offense most of the season but injuries in recent weeks have allowed McCahill (61-91, 889 yards, 10 touchdowns) extended time at the quarterback position with the Tigers close to having two 1,000-yard passers this season.

Shaw (35-423, five touchdowns) has been the go-to target for DePauw in the passing game with Jaylon Smith (27-386, three touchdowns) and Gabe Quigley (25-262, two touchdowns) also heavily involved. Robby Ballentine (20-260, seven touchdowns) has bee the biggest red zone threat for the Tigers.

Jonathan Bruder leads the defense with 54 tackles while multiple DePauw defenders have at least four tackles for loss, led by David Guhl with 7.5, as the team has 57 total tackles for loss, including 24 sacks, led by Brevon Gude’s five. The Tiger defense has forced 16 turnovers this season.

DePauw punter Jack Drake is No. 4 in the nation in punt average at 43.88 yards a boot with a long of 63 and has hit 3-of-4 field goals from beyond 40 yards, including a long of 47. Joesph Sullivan has hit 7-of-10 field goals from inside 40 yards while also connection on 37-of-38 extra points.

Saturday’s game is not yet a sellout with a few tickets available in the Wabash section as of press time Wednesday. The game will be streamed on ISC Sports Network and broadcast by Taylor Richardson and Jack Woods on WGRE 91.5 FM.