The 11,000+ attendance was during the old configuration of Little Giant Stadium PLUS standing room on the track was allowed to its fullest extent.  Standing room is no longer encouraged or allowed at all. Ticketholders are expected to find a seat.  That is another change in security measures in the past few years.

The record crowds at Wabash on the all-time list were at a time when security issues were not as big a concern as it is now. Wabash and DePauw have come close to cancelling the game and the series in the last 30 years due to incidents, inside and outside the stadiums, that would embarrass the institutions since televised games became the norm. It is my opinion that now because both institutions try very hard to control the crowds by setting limits on attendance and requiring the necessary security, only a larger venue would accommodate the needs for larger crowds and security needs.

Many younger Wabash fans might want to know that both Wabash and DePauw have experienced that half-empty look years ago when the former Indiana Collegiate Athletic Conference staged a "Day at the Dome" where 4 conference games were played in one day at the Hoosier Dome in 1984. Followed by another appearance in 1986 where Wabash played Anderson but did not include all ICAC schools but did include other colleges from Indiana in the Hoosier Dome.  There was also an invitation, which was also turned down, in the 80's by either Purdue or I.U. to hold the Monon Bell game at either Ross-Ade Stadium in Lafayette or Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. It has just been too long ago and didn't cause much of a stir of my memory to remember the exact year.

Quote from: Pat Coleman on October 29, 2024, 01:23:01 PMI would love to see the Bell game be on our list of most highly attended games in D-III history again.
https://d3football.com/notables/top-single-game-attendance

I am quite certain that it would take a mutual agreement to stage the game at a neutral site. During the late 70's and early 80's there was a proposal by Indianapolis authorities to host the game at the Hoosier Dome but the Wabash head coach at that time said that would be OK for him if DePauw wanted to move their year to host to Indianapolis, but he would never move the Monon Bell game when it is to be played at Little Giant Stadium.

These days both schools put limits on attendance due to ever increasing cost of security (among other issues) as well as the necessity of increased security to control the behavior of the crowd at the game.

Yes, Washington U. is large, and Wabash is small. But Division III being what it is, I would say Wabash stays competitive with the larger schools. In recent years, Wabash has been to the basketball Final 4 and came within a point of winning a team national championship in wrestling. Wabash's baseball team made the post-season tournament a few years ago, too. In earlier and in the Division III "infancy" Wabash played in the Stagg Bowl, losing to Widener. Five years later Wabash won the NCAA Division III National Championship defeating the defending national champion Potsdam State.
Coming up next year, John Carroll will join the North Coast Athletic Conference which will make the competition in all sports tougher. The following year Washington U. will be a football only affiliate making the football competition even tougher. I believe this is what the conference has needed for a long time. Going from the HCAC to the NCAC helped at the time and it took Wabash a few years before they became competitive with Wittenberg in football and Wooster in basketball.
It is my opinion that teams that have dominated for several years have benefited more from strong conference competition than their size. Also in recent years Wabash, when they have had time to search the country for strong coaching candidates, they have been successful.  Wabash has also done a better job of recruiting athletes that not only perform well in the classroom, but the athletic field as well. I have been around for the last 55 years of Wabash athletics and that is the background of which I speak. 

Please take this as just a commentary and not pointing a finger at anyone, but it appears as if the argument of Ohio schools does not want to have to travel much farther out of their way than Wabash and DePauw has possibly been evaporated with the pending (although a rumor at this stage) announcement of Washington (St. Louis) joining the NCAC as a football only affiliate. Rose-Hulman (they apparently don't want to join anyway) would have been a shorter trip. And yes, I know it is football team travel only, not all sports travel.

I would like to mention one other thing that I read on this message board years ago. Under the coaching of former coach Kehres (the elder) I remember it being said that when Mount Union had a large lead in the second half against a much lesser opponent, many times Mount Union would either go for a field goal when they could have easily kept the drive going for another TD and that FG attempt sometimes came on 2nd or 3rd down. Also, to prevent further scoring against their thoroughly beaten opponent Mount Union would take a knee on 1st,2nd and 3rd down before punting.

I see nothing wrong with this. If an opponent is thoroughly beaten, outclassed, inferior (whatever the word that you want to use), there comes a time to "call off the dogs" to prevent unnecessary injury (let alone total embarrassment). That in my mind is showing sportmanship rather than running up your own score for your own delight.

I had read a press release (news article) that the CCIW was anticipating more movement of schools to new conferences in the next few years. They dropped Washington because they want a full membership school to replace Washington's affiliate membership and wanted to be ready now to accept a new member if the situation arises.

A side comment on the Wabash-Oberlin game.  A situation that was mentioned earlier but not addressed now. The game was played on Sunday which means a short week this week. Speculating that another reason the 2nd half was shortened was to conserve strength and reduce risk of injury to our own players because we have another game this coming Saturday. Oberlin has an open date this weekend.

From the "What It's Worth" Dept. An article in the first Wabash Bachelor newspaper of this term, had quotes from the NCAC "heads" that they are actively looking for a new member to bring the conference back to 10 members. Whoever it is must fit the NCAC philosophy dealing with academics and athletics. In my opinion, the NCAC may have to search outside the Ohio borders to find a school that not only wants to join but also follows the high standards of education.

I don't have any idea what Wittenberg will do. I saw a tweet on X this morning that some professors and some alumni are saying rather than taking massive cuts maybe now is the time to close. I am not saying it's going to happen. I would rather speculate about the future of the North Coast Conference. Although John Carroll is joining next year Hiram is leaving. Wittenberg could possibly be next if things do not improve in Springfield. Now there are 2 possibilities for the NCAC. Shrink and stay at 8 or fewer schools or give in and look for non-Ohio membership. Just wondering what my fellow and more in touch posters think. My speculation is based on an over-active imagination and nothing else.

From the take it for what it is worth department, the Wabash Trustees are aware that the NCAC is looking for a replacement for Hiram in the conference. No mention or hint that Wabash could be exploring their options for the future in terms of athletic affiliation. So, for inquiring minds, that is all that can be said at this point.

Obviously I am not an insider. I am only going by past history and the speculation on this site.  Rose-Hulman may not want to move to another conference. But the handwriting is on the wall that the HCAC could face future difficulties with the impending departure of Defiance and the rumored difficulties that Bluffton will face. On the other hand, the NCAC will most likely be looking for a 10th school and offers (in this day and age) stability. Yes, my guess is they are more likely to add an Ohio school. I also would say that the OAC would probably like a 10th school, which will no doubt will be an Ohio school. From Rose-Hulman's point of view, yes, the HCAC is great for short trips, but Wabash and DePauw seem to have little trouble with long trips to far off Ohio. Wabash's wrestling team even travels to Illinois and Iowa for meets because wrestling is a sparse sport in Indiana small colleges. And finally, the midwestern states will be facing a shortage of high school graduates in the coming years and have to go to other parts of the country in search of eligible high school graduates.  John Carroll presumably moved to the NCAC to increase their "visability." Why wouldn't Rose-Hulman want to do the same.

Speaking from past experience, I think it would be unlikely that a NCAC member would join the HCAC. Wabash, DePauw and Rose-Hulman were former members of the ICAC which became the HCAC after the addition of Ohio based schools. DePauw and Rose-Hulman left to join the SCAC and also would have liked Wabash to join. Wabash was given information that they would be welcome to join the CCIW. But, after trying to join, Wabash was rejected. The NCAC then contacted Wabash about joining. DePauw and Rose-Hulman left the SCAC for, among other things, travel costs. DePauw landed in the NCAC and Rose-Hulman back into the HCAC. Both Wabash and DePauw wanted to be in a conference with similar academic values, which they believed the HCAC did not fully meet their criteria. The NCAC has quite a few members of an old academic group known as the Great Lakes Collegiate Association (colleges from Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin). These colleges in much earlier years (1950's) was a group that very often tried to schedule each other in all sports. And some athletic directors and other administrators had visions of actually forming a conference.
So, although Rose-Hulman did return. Wabash and DePauw most probably will stay in the NCAC and if they left would seek another conference other than the HCAC. Also would be of an opinion that Wabash and DePauw would like Rose-Hulman to join them in the NCAC.

Thank you for the "upgrade". Although I can no longer visit "anonymously", I had been missing my fellow posters' comments. I find most of the information to be helpful, if not entertaining.