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 - There will be no homecoming football game at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute this year.
Saturday's Liberty League contest against Merchant Marine Academy has been postponed due to the partial government shutdown.

The Engineers (0-1, 3-1) and Mariners (0-1, 3-1) were supposed to kick off at 1 p.m., from East Campus Stadium, but due to the stemming from the budget impasse in Congress, the game will not be held this weekend.

“Obviously it’s unfortunate and it is something that was truly out of our control," said RPI football coach Ralph Isernia. 

The last time a RPI football game was postponed was Sept. 15, 2001, due to the September 11 terrorist attacks. That game, against Coast Guard, was not rescheduled.

Instead of football, the nationally ranked RPI women's soccer team will face Clarkson at 1 p.m., instead of the regularly scheduled time of 5 p.m.

The football game has been tenatively rescheduled for Saturday, Nov. 2, in Troy.
Here is the school's release.

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.