A sold-out crowd of more than 8,100 witnessed history in the 129th Monon Bell Classic on November 11, 2023, at Little Giant Stadium in Crawfordsville.
A sold-out crowd of more than 8,100 witnessed history in the 129th Monon Bell Classic on November 11, 2023, at Little Giant Stadium in Crawfordsville.
A sold-out crowd of more than 8,100 witnessed history in the 129th Monon Bell Classic on November 11, 2023, at Little Giant Stadium in Crawfordsville.
DePauw University President Lori White and Wabash College President Scott Feller
A sold-out crowd of more than 8,100 witnessed history in the 129th Monon Bell Classic on November 11, 2023, at Little Giant Stadium in Crawfordsville.
Wabash students, families and friends gathered outside Little Giant Stadium ahead of kickoff for tailgating festivities in Mud Hollow.
Wabash students, families and friends gathered outside Little Giant Stadium ahead of kickoff for tailgating festivities in Mud Hollow.
Students, faculty and friends of Wabash’s Malcolm X Institute of Black Studies
Wabash students, families and friends gathered outside Little Giant Stadium ahead of kickoff for tailgating festivities in Mud Hollow.
The stands quickly filled with fans ahead of the back-and-forth battle between Wabash and DePauw.
Wabash students, families and friends gathered outside Little Giant Stadium ahead of kickoff for tailgating festivities in Mud Hollow.
Wabash students, families and friends gathered outside Little Giant Stadium ahead of kickoff for tailgating festivities in Mud Hollow.
The stands quickly filled with fans ahead of the back-and-forth battle between Wabash and DePauw.
Wabash students, families and friends gathered outside Little Giant Stadium ahead of kickoff for tailgating festivities in Mud Hollow.
Members of the Class of 1985 gathered for the game, pictred here in front of Little Giant Stadium are (keeeling) Tom d’Ambrosio; and standing (left to right): Marty Gregor, Jeff Barry, John Adams, Tony Altavilla, Bill Brady, Steve Hoffman, Greg Zorich, and Jim Davlin.
Wabash students, families and friends gathered outside Little Giant Stadium ahead of kickoff for tailgating festivities in Mud Hollow.
Wabash students, families and friends gathered outside Little Giant Stadium ahead of kickoff for tailgating festivities in Mud Hollow.
Wabash students, families and friends gathered outside Little Giant Stadium ahead of kickoff for tailgating festivities in Mud Hollow.
Wabash students, families and friends gathered outside Little Giant Stadium ahead of kickoff for tailgating festivities in Mud Hollow.
Wabash students, families and friends gathered outside Little Giant Stadium ahead of kickoff for tailgating festivities in Mud Hollow.
Wabash students, families and friends gathered outside Little Giant Stadium ahead of kickoff for tailgating festivities in Mud Hollow.
Wabash students, families and friends gathered outside Little Giant Stadium ahead of kickoff for tailgating festivities in Mud Hollow.
Wabash students, families and friends gathered outside Little Giant Stadium ahead of kickoff for tailgating festivities in Mud Hollow.
Wabash students, families and friends gathered outside Little Giant Stadium ahead of kickoff for tailgating festivities in Mud Hollow.
Wabash students, families and friends gathered outside Little Giant Stadium ahead of kickoff for tailgating festivities in Mud Hollow.
The W. Club was packed with excited Wabash fans.
The W. Club was packed with excited Wabash fans.
The W. Club was packed with excited Wabash fans.
Archie Manning (center) joined Kevin Clifford ’77 and Gary Reamey ’77 to cheer on the Little Giants at the 129th Monon Bell Classic.
Archie Manning (center) joined Kevin Clifford ’77 and Gary Reamey ’77 to cheer on the Little Giants at the 129th Monon Bell Classic.
The W. Club was packed with excited Wabash fans.
The W. Club was packed with excited Wabash fans.
The W. Club was packed with excited Wabash fans.
The W. Club was packed with excited Wabash fans.
The W. Club was packed with excited Wabash fans.
The stands quickly filled with fans ahead of the back-and-forth battle between Wabash and DePauw.
Can’t miss a picture with Wally!
Can’t miss a picture with Wally!
The W. Club was packed with excited Wabash fans.
The W. Club was packed with excited Wabash fans.
The stands quickly filled with fans ahead of the back-and-forth battle between Wabash and DePauw.
Spirits were high as these students strolled down Grant Ave.
There is always time to stop for a group photo before hitting the crosswalk.
Liam McAllister '26 (center) was all smiles Saturday morning.
It's no surprise that Brayden Weiss '24 is pretty good at this patio game.
Saturday was a good time to wear a classic Wabash football jersey.
The fellas take a moment to celebrate the game winner.
The next game is moments away.
Saturday felt like every patch of grass was occupied by tailgating activities. This patch, near Little Giant Stadium, was perfect for tossing a football.
There were smiles all around at the Lambda Chi house.
There was plenty of time for a Monon Bell haircut.
Bill Cook '66 (left) chats with some friends before the game.
The Monon Bell Game is a great excuse for classmates to reunite.
Saturday's weather made for a perfect day of football.
Edreece Redmond '24 was chatting with friends prior to kickoff.
The Mud Hollow tailgate area was packed with fans.
NAWM President Jim Hawksworth '95 (right) with his family in Mud Hollow.
There were plenty of group photos taken in Mud Hollow, or in this case, photos of group photos.
The results of a punch line well delivered.
"Kick-off is in less than 30 minutes."
Plenty of Sphinx Club alumni made the return to campus for the game.
A thoughtful moment before the Little Giants take the field.
The Senior Bench was ready for the weekend.
The end always comes suddenly, especially for seniors.
At 4:09 p.m. Saturday, the careers of four fifth-year seniors abruptly ended, courtesy of a 33-30 double overtime loss to DePauw in the 129th Monon Bell Classic in Little Giant Stadium.
Gone with it were the hopes of those seniors, and their teammates, of a Bell Game victory, a conference championship, and berth in the NCAA Division III Playoffs. This year, those spoils go to the victors.
Gone is the chance to play again, to continue a career that spanned five seasons (one canceled due to a pandemic), 28 wins, an NCAC title, and an NCAA playoff berth. A total of 2,460 regulation minutes together on Saturday afternoons, including 522 drives and 2,956 plays.
“The outcome today obviously wasn’t what we wanted, but that’s life, right,” a rhetorical answer from offensive lineman Joe Mullin.
But this particular group of seniors—Mark Caster, Mullin, Liam Thompson, and Cooper Sullivan—take with them something deeper. At Wabash, we call it brotherhood, and it’s a connection that can’t be quantified. It goes deeper than wins and losses for as long as life shall last.
“I know I made the right choice to come here,” said Thompson, the record-setting quarterback from Indianapolis. “These guys are my brothers for life. Football doesn't build character, it reveals it. It’s a credit to be at this place, to play football here, to live here for the past four and a half years and have these relationships for the rest my life.”
Even before walking off the field for the last time Mullin was struck by the opportunity delivered to him through the 
Wabash football experience.
“It's an institution where you grow, you come in as a boy and you become a man,” said the Academic All-American from Indianapolis. “I came here with the promise of a top-tier education and play football, too. These four and a half years went by so fast. I wouldn't have it any other way.”
In the shadow of the late afternoon sun, Sullivan, a wide receiver from Jacksonville, Florida, thought about Thompson, his quarterback and the accomplishments they posted together. Thompson finished his career with 20 school and conference passing and total offense records and is a finalist for the National Football Foundation’s William V. Campbell Trophy, given annually to college football’s top scholar-athlete.
“He and I have been with each other through the ups and the downs and I couldn't be more proud of what he's accomplished here,” said Sullivan, who finished his career as Wabash’s career leader in receiving yardage. “Not only as an athlete, but as a student as well. It speaks volumes to his character and I couldn't be happier to have him as a friend and say some day he'll be the best man at my wedding.”
Mullin had similar sentiments for Caster and the decision they made two years ago to ride this out over a fifth season.
“He’s my buddy,” Mullin said of his fellow offensive lineman. “Mark is hardest worker on this team, really dedicated. I can't say enough about him. He's a great human being who will do what great things in life.”
The collective character of his teammates will impact Sullivan well into the future.
“I am very blessed to be a part of this team, every single one of them, these last four and a half years,” he said. “We really harped this whole week about how we were going to fight because we love one another. As clichéd as it might sound, this truly is a brotherhood and I’m happy to be a part of that.”
As he accepted a handshake from a family member and started his walk to the locker room, he was asked if the experience was worth it.
“Yes,” he said through a faint smile, “a zillion times. I’d do it all over again a zillion times.”