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.

J.S. Carras/The Record

The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute football team is off to a great start at 3-0.

Ralph Isernia (left) hasn't lost yet as the Engineers head coach. That doesn't mean he thinks the team needs to continue getting better. That's the premise of the story in Thursday's paper, which talks about how Isernia wants his team to keep getting better every day.

RPI kicks off Liberty League play, when they take on rival WPI on Saturday, for possession of the Transit Trophy. The game is at 1 p.m., at Alumni Field in Worcester, Mass.

The Engineers have possession of the trophy after a 39-17 victory last year at East Campus Stadiu.

Also of note, senior defensive end Arthur Kuyan was named to the D3Football.com Team of the Week.

Here is a link to game notes, live stats and the radio broadcast.

The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute football team knocked off Norwich 20-7 on Saturday, in the season-opener.

The Engineers have now won 12 of the past 13 openers, losing only in 2011, against Alfred.

Here is a link to the game story.

Senior Jessie Maynard helped lead RPI from behind to pull out the win. The Engineers trailed 7-6, when Maynard fired a touchdown pass to Pat Hogan.

Maynard, who came in to replace fellow senior Brendan McGlynn (knee), iced the game, with a 91-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter.

RPI wore its new white jerseys, shown below from running back Andrew Armato. 

Mike McMahon - The Record

Coach Ralph Isernia had the team sing the fight song following the game. Turns out that none of the players knew the words, when Isernia asked in the preseason. He thought this would be a nice way to bring back some school spirit.

“These kids have been through a lot," Isernia said. "And we wanted to bring back a sense of community, a sense of pride. This isn’t just the football team — this is for the school."

Mike McMahon - The Record