GRIZZLIES SET TO HOST VICTORY BELL GAME
Franklin football wraps up its 2026 season with the annual Victory Bell Game against rival Hanover. This will be the 96th meeting in the series, with the Panthers holding a 49-43-3 edge after winning seven of the last eight years. Hanover retained the Victory Bell last year with a 51-18 home win on its way to an HCAC championship.

For more on the series history, including year-by-year scores, click here.
 
SIBLING RIVALRY
Grizzlies head coach Mike Leonard is a 1984 Hanover graduate and former Panther assistant who calls competing against current Hanover coach and former colleague Matt Theobald like going against his little brother. This will be the sixth head-to-head meeting between the two coaches, with Theobald having won the last three matchups (2018, 2019 and 2025) after Leonard won in 2016 and 2017. Leonard is 13-5 overall against his alma mater, while Theobald is 7-3 against Franklin.
 
DIGGING DEEP
In last week's Senior Day win over Anderson, Franklin wound up having three different quarterbacks throw passes. Starter Marshall Kmiecik and backup Josh Bruner were both injured during the second half, with freshman Harrison Wetzel coming on in relief and scoring on a 20-yard touchdown run. Kmiecik will miss Saturday's game, while Bruner's status is uncertain.
 
CATCH THE GRIZ ON INDIANA SRN
Indiana SRN is carrying all six Franklin College home games this season. Each game will be shown free of charge on HCAC.tv and IndianaSRN.org, and games will be archived upon completion so that fans can watch back at any time.
 
AROUND THE HCAC
With a 4-1 league record, Hanover can force a tie atop the final HCAC standings by beating the Grizzlies. Rose-Hulman, which also sits at 4-1, will also be aiming for a share of the title when it travels to Bluffton. Mount St. Joseph has already wrapped up its conference schedule with a 5-1 mark and hosts Marietta. Elsewhere in league action on Saturday, Manchester plays at Anderson.