In the end, the partial government shutdown will only delay the Liberty League football contest between RPI and Merchant Marine Academy.

The RPI Athletic Department tweeted on Friday afternoon that the Engineers will play the Mariners on Nov. 2, at 1 p.m. 

FB | Makeup game with Merchant Marine finalized for November 2nd in Troy. Kickoff at East Campus Stadium is 1pm. #RPIFB #d3fb #ITH
— RPI Athletics (@RPIAthletics) October 18, 2013

The game was supposed to be played on Oct. 5, on RPI's Homecoming & Reunion Weekend, but the government shutdown postponed the game and Merchant Marine's season.

The Mariners also were inactive last week, when they were supposed to travel to take on Rochester.

The Engineers (0-2, 3-2) play Rochester on Saturday at noon, at East Campus Stadium. 

TROY >> The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute football team is planning to play Saturday afternoon at East Campus Stadium on Homecoming Weekend.

The Engineers may have to make a change of plans.

RPI (0-1, 3-1) is scheduled to host Merchant Marine Academy on Saturday, in a Liberty League contest. However, the government shutdown that went into affect on Tuesday, is threatening the game. As a service academy, Merchant Marine is affected by the changes happening and therefore can’t practice during the shutdown.

While this may eventually change the plans, Engineers coach Ralph Isernia and his team are preparing as if they will play on Saturday, as scheduled.

According to a RPI athletics spokesperson, if this shutdown is not resolved by Thursday, the game could still be played in Troy, on Sunday afternoon.

If no agreement can be made by Thursday, the game will be cancelled. The two teams have another open date, but Merchant Marine can’t play on Saturday, Nov. 2, due to exams at the school.

If the football game is cancelled, the RPI women’s soccer game against Clarkson will serve as the Homecoming game at East Campus Stadium.

The past two years have started slow for the Union College football team.

Back-to-back 0-3 starts have ultimately turned into respectable 6-4 seasons and strong Liberty League play. .

This year's team is hoping for a quick start and a even stronger year.

Here is the story from Thursday's paper, following Wednesday's Media Day event.

Jeff Couch - The Record

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute senior quarterback Mike Hermann talks about the team's big Liberty League showdown with Hobart.

From RPI sports info department

TROY – The Liberty League has announced its weekly award winners in football and three Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) student-athletes have been selected. Mike Hermann was named the Offensive Performer of the Week, while Joe Tedder was the Defensive Performer of the Week. Rounding out the awards was Andrew Franks, who garnered Special Teams Performer of the Week and Rookie of the Week.

A junior quarterback from Hardeeville, S.C., Hermann rushed for 168 yards and a 40-yard touchdown on just 13 carries in a 51-21 home opening victory against Castleton State. He also threw for 188 yards and three scores (17, 11, 5 yards), completing 13 of 20 passes with no interceptions.

Through the first two games of 2011, the Avon Old Farms graduate has completed 31 of 55 passes for 364 yards and four touchdowns. Additionally, he is the squad's leading rusher with 22 carries for 190 yards and two touchdowns. He has not been intercepted this season.

Tedder, a junior defensive back who hails from Stamford, Conn., garnered his honor after making three tackles and intercepting two passes, including one on the RPI 5-yard line. He also recovered a fumble in the win over the Spartans.

A former standout at St. Luke's School, Tedder has recorded six tackles in the team's first two contests, including one solo stop. Last season, he appeared in eight games, recording one assisted tackle.

A freshman kicker from Carmel, Calif., Franks earned two awards for his play last week after he kicked a 36-yard field goal and was successful on 6 of 7 point-after-touchdowns in the victory over Castleton State. He also averaged 59 yards on nine kickoffs.

The Carmel High School graduate has had a solid start to his collegiate career through the team's first two games going 8 of 9 on point-after-touchdowns with two field goals. Franks has also totaled 784 yards (60.3 average) on 13 kickoffs.

The RPI football team made too many mistakes on this day and it cost them the Transit Trophy.

WPI picked up their first victory in this series between Engineers since 1996 by capitalizing on those mistakes and cashing in for a 24-10 victory at East Campus Stadium.

The Engineers from Troy thought they had the momentum swinging in their favor in the fourth quarter, but after the defense forced a punt with seven minutes to go, Pat McCarthy fumbled and WPI recovered.

The Engineers from Worcester made them pay as Aaron Champagne scored from eight yards out to give WPI a 24-10 lead.

Even before that, RPI’s miscues cost them dearly.

RPI tried a fake punt, trailing 10-7 in the third quarter, but Matt Wood was hauled down on a great defensive play.

The stop seemed to give WPI momentum as they took the ball right down the field for a touchdown and 17-7 lead.

WPI took the game’s opening kickoff and drove right down the field, scoring on a 1-yard run by Ernie Mello.

The drive took 8 plays and covered 62 yards.

RPI thought they had mustered some points when the defense caused a fumble from WPI quarterback Pat McAuley.

Brown picked up the ball and fumbled himself. It was then recovered in the end zone and ruled a touchback.

RPI couldn’t muster a first down in the first quarter. On the last play of the opening quarter, Pat McCarthy caught a 10-yard pass for a first down, but fumbled the ball away.

RPI finally got on the board after an 11-play 63-yard drive, when Mike Hermann tossed a jump ball to McCarthy on 3rd & goal for a 1-yard touchdown.

Sophomore Steven Burpoe made a huge catch on the drive, taking a big hit, but hauling in a first down to set RPI up inside the 5.

The beginning of the local Division III football season is right around the corner.

If you follow RPI or Union College football, you should no doubt listen to "In the HuddLLe," a internet talk show about the Liberty League.

The show is entering its third season and is hosted by Eric Ren (a former RPI player), Frank Rossi (Union's radio announcer) and James Baker (a former Hobart player).

I will be joining them tonight at 8:30 p.m. The show starts at 7:30.

Here is a link to the web site where you can here tonight's show.

Union kicks off with Ithaca next Saturday at 1 p.m. and RPI will travel to Endicott for a 1 p.m. tilt on Sept. 11.