Crawfordsville, Ind. — A career afternoon from junior wide receiver Luke Adams was not enough to slow DePauw's early surge as Wabash fell 41–20 in the 131st Monon Bell Classic on Saturday at Little Giant Stadium. Adams caught nine passes for 189 yards—the second-most receiving yards by a Wabash player in Monon Bell history—and provided the Little Giants with their most consistent offensive spark. But Wabash struggled to establish rhythm elsewhere, finishing with only 32 rushing yards and surrendering six sacks in a rivalry game controlled by the Tigers from the second quarter onward.

Wabash head coach Jake Gilbert, completing his first full season at the helm, said the game plan entering the day had already been shaped by DePauw's strength in the trenches. "Yeah, I mean, they're exceptional against the run," Gilbert said. "We want to run the ball, but they're just so darn good. We felt like we had a better chance in a quick passing game and maybe getting the ball outside. We tried that. And we had some success with it—definitely on that first drive."

That opening possession was Wabash's best of the day, a crisp 13-play, 78-yard march featuring four early catches from Adams and steady bursts from senior running back Xavier Tyler. Tyler capped the drive with an 8-yard touchdown run for a 7–0 lead at the 9:21 mark. But after the promising start, the momentum shifted and never returned. "They started to make some plays and we didn't, and it started to snowball," Gilbert said. "We couldn't get off the field on third down to give our offense enough chances. We just didn't do anything to get that momentum back once we lost it."

DePauw responded immediately after Wabash's opening touchdown, moving 58 yards in eight plays and tying the game on a 9-yard pass from Scott Ballentine to Lleyton Lukowski. From there, the Tigers dominated the second quarter, outgaining Wabash 230–31 and scoring touchdowns on all three drives. Carson Johnson's 24-yard scoring run put DePauw ahead 14–7, and Ballentine extended the lead to 21–7 midway through the quarter with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Palmer Samuels. DePauw then delivered a late-half blow by driving 93 yards in 13 plays, with Ballentine finding Lukowski for a 21-yard score with five seconds remaining for a 28–7 halftime advantage.

Gilbert credited the Tigers for dictating the game's terms. "We were unable to close the gap on DePauw," he said. "Kudos to them—they've done a fantastic job over there. Their staff is obviously excellent. They've developed their kids really well. I do think our program has improved and we have gotten better; it just didn't show in today's results. I think it's maybe more about them than us."

DePauw continued its efficiency after halftime, driving 89 yards in 10 plays on the opening possession of the third quarter to push the margin to 34–7. Wabash countered with a 52-yard touchdown drive highlighted by a 32-yard connection from Campbell to Adams before Campbell found Rowen Durbin for an 11-yard score. But the Tigers responded quickly again, covering 58 yards in four plays and sealing the game on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Ballentine to his brother, Robby, early in the fourth quarter.

Tyler's second touchdown—a 2-yard run with 1:30 left—finished a late 79-yard Wabash drive powered by two more explosive catches from Adams. Campbell ended the day 15-for-24 for 197 yards and a touchdown, while Durbin added five receptions for 37 yards. Scott Ballentine led DePauw with 328 passing yards and four touchdowns, Johnson totaled 103 all-purpose yards, and Lukowski caught five passes for 88 yards and two scores.

The loss sends the Monon Bell back to Greencastle for the fourth consecutive year, the first time DePauw has produced such a run since Wabash's four straight wins from 2012–2015. Despite the setback, Wabash still leads the all-time series 63–59–9 and maintains a 44–43–6 edge in Monon Bell matchups.

Afterward, Gilbert emphasized the contributions of his senior class, who helped guide the program through a coaching transition. "Well, we love you," he said of his departing players. "They had an exceptional year. No one asked for a coaching change their senior year and they got it, but their leadership was critical for us. We made major strides in certain areas—that was all because of them. They orchestrated the improvement that we did have. I know where the program got better and I know what we have to build on going forward, and I'm very proud of our seniors and the culture that they led this year."

Looking ahead, Gilbert reiterated his belief in the direction of the program, even after a disappointing finish. "Overall, we had a great season," he said. "We'll get back to work and do what is necessary to move the program forward again."