Game: 128^th Monon Bell Classic
When: Saturday, November 12, 2022, at 1:07 p.m.
Where: Blackstock Stadium; Greencastle, Indiana
 
How To Watch: The ISC Network will produce the broadcast of the Monon Bell Classic for the second consecutive season. Greg Rakestraw will serve as play-by-play announcer, along with Brad Wochomurka and Steve Hoffman as color analysts. Derek Schultz will provide sideline coverage. The game will be streamed live on the ISC Network (https://www.iscsportsnetwork.com/) and through the ISC Facebook Live and Youtube channels. Comcast Xfinity Channel 81 will also carry the game in the Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and Lafayette areas. The Wabash College Video Network (https:/sports.wabash.edu/wcvn) will also broadcast the ISC Network feed. For complete information regarding the ISC Network broadcast, go to https://info.iscsportsnetwork.com/how-to-watch-the-128th-monon-bell-classic/.
 
Wabash and DePauw meet for the 128^th time since the two teams first played in 1890. For the first time in the history of the rivalry, the winner of the game also secures the 2022 North Coast Athletic Conference championship and the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III football playoffs.
 
The Little Giants look to win their 64th game all-time against DePauw and 45th game since the Bell was donated to the rivalry in 1932. The Little Giants have won ten of the last 12 meetings, including last year's rally from a 21-point first-quarter deficit to claim a 42-35 victory.
 
Wabash (7-2, 6-1 NCAC)  enters the Bell game as the top-ranked passing offense in the nation. The Little Giants average 377.8 passing yards per game and will face a DePauw (8-1, 6-1) defense that limits opposing teams to 173.8 passing yards per game. The Tigers lead the NCAC in passing defense and rank 50th nationally. The Little Giants rank second in total offense with an average of 557.6 yards per game. Number-one ranked North Central leads Division III with an average of 565.2 yards of offense per game. Wabash is seventh in the nation in scoring, averaging 45.7points per game.
 
The Little Giants won their fifth consecutive game last Saturday with a 49-25 victory over Kenyon in the home regular-season finale. The junior quarterback continued his assault on the Wabash record book by throwing for a career-best 450 yards. He tossed four touchdown passes and ran for another to earn NCAC Football Offensive Player of the Week honors. Thompson enters today's game ranked second on the Wabash single-season passing list with 3,353. Russ Harbaugh '06 owns the Wabash single-season passing record with 3,521 yards set in 2005. Harbaugh also sits atop the NCAC single-season passing list. Thompson currently ranks fourth behind Wittenberg's Reed Florence with 3,366 yards in 2013 in third place. Current DePauw offensive coordinator and former Ohio Wesleyan University quarterback Mason Espinosa is second on the list with 3,371 yards in 2012.
 
SCOUTING DEPAUW
DePauw is looking to win its second consecutive North Coast Athletic Conference championship after claiming the 2021 crown despite a regular-season loss to the Little Giants. The Tigers lead the conference in defense, holding opposing teams to 12.6 points with four shutouts through nine games and 253.2 yards per game. DePauw ranks 18th in Division III in scoring defense, 25th in total defense, and 29th in rushing defense, allowing only 79.4 yards a game. DePauw ranks sixth in the nation in time of possession, holding the football for an average of 34 minutes a game.
 
DePauw averages 219.1 yards per game on the ground, 26th-best in Division III. Junior Gus Baumgartner runs for 67.1 yards a game with 604 yards on 124 attempts with nine touchdowns. Senior quarterback Wally Renie averages 48.0 rushing yards per game. The Tigers have scored 24 rushing touchdowns while allowing only seven running TDs in nine games.
 
Renie missed two games after suffering an injury in the Wittenberg game. He's completed 89-of-142 passes for 922 yards and 10 TDs with two interceptions. Sophomore backup Nathan McCahill has played in all nine games and has completed 61-of-91 attempts for 889 yards and ten touchdowns with five interceptions. Trey Shaw's 35 receptions are the most by a Tiger receiver. He averages 12.1 yards per catch and has scored five touchdowns. Robby Ballentine has scored seven times on 20 receptions. Jaylon Smith's 386 receiving yards on 27 catches are the most this season for DePauw.
 
Sophomore linebacker Jonathan Bruder paces the DePauw defense with 54 tackles. David Guhl leads the team with 7-1/2 tackles for losses. Brevon Gude's five sacks for 31 yards are the best for a Tiger team that has recorded 24 and 57 tackles for losses this season. DePauw has intercepted 11 passes this season. Tommy Ryan, Dane Young, and Nolan Tully have two picks apiece.