Scheumann Stadium to host the 2026 Monon Bell Game
The home of the Ball State Cardinals is set to serve as the battlefield for a major D-III rivalry.
Ball State's Scheumann Stadium is getting set to host an additional Saturday football game this upcoming season– but won’t involve the Cardinals.
Nearby Division III program DePauw University announced Friday the 132nd edition of their storied Monon Bell rivalry with Wabash University is set to be played in Muncie, Indiana on the campus of Ball State University.
DePauw, who is currently renovating their home stadium as part of a $80 million overhaul for the athletics department, is set to be the host. Demolition of DePauw's existing home, Blackstone Stadium, is set to begin in August, necessitating a new playing field for the Monon Bell Game.
The game is set to kick off on Saturday, November 14th, at 1 p.m. local time.
The move is nearly unprecedented. Not only is this the first Monon Bell game held in Muncie, but it is the first off-campus playing of the rivalry since 1922.
By The Belt has reached out to Ball State athletics to confirm contract details. As of publication, details have not been disclosed.
Currently, the event seems to be a one-off, but other Division III schools in the Hoosier State could move a game to Scheumann Stadium. D-III programs Anderson, Hanover, and Manchester are all within a 90-minute drive of Scheumann Stadium.
Scheumann Stadium offers a different feel than the average Division III stadium, with a capacity of 22,000 and a rich FBS history. Any of these three schools can replicate the feel of this Monon Bell game for a special one-off.
Perhaps more intriguingly, Ball State could have opened a new source of revenue for other MAC schools. Nearly every school in the conference, with the exception of Sacramento State, has numerous Division III football programs within its footprint.
Midweek #MACtion leaves their stadiums vacant on most November Saturdays. Hosting a crucial rivalry game could be a way for the league to gain ground in the revenue race with other conferences.
No matter what the future holds, Ball State has landed rare hosting duties for one of college football’s most famed rivalries.
This will be an unforgettable moment for Wabash, DePauw, and local Ball State fans who check out the game out of curiosity.
