While the Monon Bell Game and the week leading up to the showdown is arguably the most exciting time for DePauw students during fall semester, local emotions regarding the event range from indifference to respect to anticipation.
Many residents agree the week provides a spike in business. Ben Barham, an employee at the Blue Door Café, said the increase in people on campus affects the café.
"We get alumni," Barham said. "We get families. There's a big flux of people."
Barham mentioned that outside of the work context, Monon does not affect him.
Jack Sutton, member of the class of 1981 and scene shop foreman at the Green Center for the Performing Arts, believes that the game brings good results to the community.
"[Monon] has a positive impact because of all the extra money it is generating for local businesses," Sutton said.
Because of the spike in customers this weekend, Sutton will be assisting friends who own a local business instead of attending the game.
Valene Garrison, a preschool teacher who also works at a local restaurant on the weekend, said the game and surrounding events affect the city.
"[Monon week] is hustle and bustle" Garrison said. "It's busy. Lots of people coming into town. It brings business, so that's good."
Garrison has never attended a Monon Bell game but said that the events struck her as exciting.
Greencastle resident and Walmart greeter Hallie Taylor enthusiastically shared her support for DePauw going into the game Saturday.
"I certainly want to hear who wins," Taylor said. "And it's got to be DePauw."
Though Taylor will not be able to attend this year's game because of work, she is quite aware of its importance outside of the world of business.
"I think a lot people know about the Wabash and DePauw game," Taylor said. "I mean DePauw's a big part of Greencastle."
Like Taylor, many residents know and embrace the spirit of Monon, particularly alumnus and former Dean of Students Dr. Robert Farber, who is now a resident at Asbury Towers. Farber has been affiliated with DePauw since he arrived at the university as a freshman in 1931.
"I think I've seen every Wabash and DePauw game except during the war," Farber said.
Farber said that over the years two games in particular have stood out to him — the year DePauw's football team set a record as undefeated, untied and unscored upon in 1933, including the game against Wabash, and the 2007 game when DePauw won with a last minute field goal.
This year, Farber will be watching the Monon game on television.
While the overall impact of Monon on the community is a positive and rewarding one, the event still has its negative moments.
Farber recalled "many, many memories of some very heated tensions between the two schools."
During his 26-year career as dean, Farber worked with the dean at Wabash.
"We appealed to both student bodies to be gentle, be decent and be friendly," Farber said. "And to have a good contest without terrible yells against each other. But each year we had some riots on our campus and on the Wabash campus."
"It depends on the "wild" factor," Sutton said. "It's a very special game, it's very emotional. It has a long history, but it's only a game and people need to stay in the stands no matter what happens."
Both acknowledged that at the heart of Monon is a respectable rivalry paired with a well-played football game.
"One of the highlights from my career at DePauw was the Wabash football game," Farber said.
Sutton agreed that part of Monon's impact is "the fact that both schools, no matter what the standings are, go into the game and play that game like life and death depends on it."