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For the first time in over 100 years, Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ and Wabash College will battle for the Monon Bell in a venue outside of Greencastle or Crawfordsville. The 132nd meeting between two of college football’s oldest rivals will be settled this year in front of a potentially record-setting crowd at Ball State University’s Scheumann Stadium in Muncie, Ind., marking the first time the Monon Bell Classic has been played at a neutral site since 1922.

The Tigers (8-1) enter the game looking for their fifth consecutive Monon Bell victory. During that stretch, Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ has outscored Wabash by an average of 20 points per game, securing the program’s longest winning streak in the series since 1996–2000. Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ will also be seeking a sixth consecutive berth in the NCAA Division III Football Championship, hoping to build on back-to-back trips to the third round of postseason play. Meanwhile, the Little Giants (5-4) will try to regain possession of the bell for the first time since a 42-35 win in 2021.

While players and coaches prepare for the on-field contest, students, alumni and fans are looking forward to a Monon experience unlike any other.

New Location, New Opportunities

Earlier this summer, Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ announced the change of venue in connection with the extensive construction work underway for the new Blackstock Stadium and Athletics Performance Center. The project, funded by an $80-million anonymous gift, is scheduled to be completed in 2028. Not only will the new facility bring best-in-class amenities for student-athletes on campus, but it will also provide an elevated fan experience for supporters of Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ athletics.

Although the Tigers were able to play their previous home games at Nick Mourouzis Field this season despite the construction, the logistical demands and high attendance numbers of the Monon Bell game created the unique opportunity to relocate the 132nd Monon Bell Classic to Scheumann Stadium, a venue that could accommodate the largest crowd in the history of the Ä¢¹½´«Ã½-Wabash rivalry. 

In recent years, Monon Bell games hosted by Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ have typically accommodated between 7,000 and 8,000 fans, with tickets often selling out within hours. This year, expanded ticket availability has brought a new level of access and an increased opportunity for fans of both schools to see the game in person. The rivalry’s all-time attendance record of 11,743, reported by Wabash in 2010, might even be in jeopardy.

An Adventure 104 Years in the Making

In the 1910s and 1920s – before the Monon Bell had been introduced as the official trophy – Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ and Wabash met in Indianapolis on several different occasions. The most recent of those neutral-site contests took place in 1922, when nearly 1,000 Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ students loaded into a special allotment of cable cars in Greencastle and made the journey east via the interurban electric railway. Students could pay a special rate of $1.50 for a round trip ticket.

Over a century later, the cable cars may be gone, but the excitement remains. Students who wish to make the trip to Muncie are able to catch a ride on one of the buses secured by the university. Meanwhile Greek houses across campus have stepped up to coordinate their own means of transportation for the game.

Students aren’t the only ones making the most of the adventure. Ample tailgating space on Ball State’s campus will commence the gameday festivities long before the opening kickoff, allowing old friends and classmates to reconnect in a festive atmosphere. Meanwhile, over 50 parties have been set up across the nation where fans can gather to watch the telecast of the game. Two of those events are being hosted locally in Greencastle, with one at Moore’s Bar and the other at The Whisk. There will also be a student watch party on campus at the Union Building.

To learn more about the history and traditions of the Monon Bell rivalry, visit this informational page. 

132nd Monon Bell Classic at a Glance:

• Kickoff Information: Saturday, Nov. 14, 1:07 p.m. at Scheumann Stadium in Muncie, Ind.
• Last Meeting: Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ won 41-20 on Nov. 15, 2025, in Crawfordsville, Ind..
• Series Record: Wabash leads 63-59-9 (44-43-6 since the Monon Bell was introduced in 1932).
• Tickets: .
• Streaming: Watch the game on the , the or the .
• Telecast Parties: Find a gathering near you.
• Game Day Logistics: View the .