Wabash trailed by a touchdown at halftime of the 130th Monon Bell Classic. But a touchdown by DePauw opened the second half, followed by a fumbled kickoff and interception leading to another home-team score, which sent the Little Giants to a 42-21 loss against the host Tigers in the annual rivalry game. 

Wabash (8-2, 7-1 NCAC) trailed 14-0 before mounting a seven-play, 75-yard scoring drive in the final two minutes of the half. Brand Campbell hit Connor Thompson in the corner of the end zone with a 16-yard pass to trim the DePauw (10-0, 8-0 NCAC) lead to 14-7 at the break. The Tigers scored on the first play from scrimmage in the second half on a 75-yard TD pass from Nathan McCahill to Gabe Quigley for a 21-7 lead. Wabash fumbled the ensuing kickoff near the end zone, putting the offense on the field with its back to the goal line.  Two plays later, the Little Giants lost the football on an interception on its own 15-yard line to set up a two-play scoring drive for DePauw and a 28-7 lead just two-and-a-half minutes in the third quarter. 

"I thought we had a chance going into the third quarter," Wabash head coach Don Morel said. "Then they start off with a one-play touchdown and that really set the tone. DePauw's a really good football team.
 
"I love all of our seniors. They'll be phenomenal people in life. The lessons they've learned playing football at Wabash will carry them forever. I feel fantastic about my experience as a head coach at Wabash. I feel horrible about losing three Bell games, but I think our program is turning the corner. I truly believe Wabash can win the Bell game next year."

Cole Dickerson cut the lead in half with a five-yard TD run midway through the third period, but the Tigers tacked on two more touchdowns on a two-yard run by Caden Whitehead and a 54-yard catch and run by Quigley for a 42-14 lead. Campbell hit TJ Alexander with a 15-yard pass with 34 seconds remaining in the game to provide the final scoring.

Wabash finished with 318 yards of total offense, with 288 coming in the air. The Little Giants were limited to 30 yards rushing on 29 attempts. Campbell completed 21 of 33 passes with one interception for 284 yards and two touchdowns. Thompson led the Wabash receiving corps with seven catches for 80 yards.
 
Gavin Ruppert paced the Wabash defense with 14 tackles, including two tackles for losses totaling eight yards. Brody Frey recorded the only sack for Wabash among his three tackles. Mike Holsclaw picked off a deflected pass in the second quarter to give the Little Giants at least one turnover forced in each game this season.

DePauw amassed 543 yards of offense, split almost equally between the run and the pass. The Tigers ran the ball 42 times for 244 yards and two touchdowns. McCahill completed 15 of 19 passes for 299 yards and four TDs. 

Wabash will await the announcement of the NCAA Division III football playoff field Sunday at 5 p.m. Should the Little Giants not be selected, the season would continue with Wabash playing in the ForeverLawn Bowl on November 23 in Canton, Ohio, as the North Coast Athletic Conference representative in the Opendorse Bowl Series. Wabash would play a team from the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. The official announcement for the Opendorse Bowl Series takes place on Sunday at 6:30 p.m.