OT - D-III Football Update
About a month ago I posted about attending a D-III game and how much fun it was. The team I was watching was DePauw University of Greencastle, IN (1,900 students). Since then, I have been following DePauw and have somewhat "adopted" them as another team to root for. Lo and behold they are now 5-0, just like M.
Their big game of the year is the game against Wabash (their OSU) at home on November 12th, last game of the regular season for both teams. It's called the Monon Bowl and they play for the Monon Bell, a 300-pound locomotive bell from the Monon Railroad. As of the end of the 2021 season, the two teams have played against each other 127 times. Wabash leads the all-time series, 63-55-9, and also has the advantage since the Bell was introduced as the victor's trophy in 1932, 44-39-6. The bell itself is stolen back and forth between the schools.
You can't make this stuff up - it's great! Their trophy game and a game against their biggest rival rolled into one.
October 4th, 2022 at 1:36 PM ^
Wabash alum here (UM for law school), so an obligatory, "DePauw to Hell, we'll keep the bell!"
Another fun fact: Wabash played one game against Michigan back in 1907 and lost 22-0. In 1905, the Little Giants knocked off Notre Dame in South Bend, 5-0. We beat IU and Purdue a few times back in the day, too.
October 4th, 2022 at 4:31 PM ^
I saw a Monon Bell game in the 90's. It was a great atmosphere. The year, location, and result are lost to the sands of time, but I'll never forget drinking beer out of the bell after the game!
October 4th, 2022 at 8:17 PM ^
I have been to lots of D-3 football games as a NESCAC school grad. My favorite is when, once each game, the punter shanks it into the back of the long snapper and everyone loses it for a few minutes. Had a real good laugh at this during a Bowdin v Williams game once.