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THE KICKOFF
The Engineers board the bus for the fourth time this season as they head down the Thruway to the United States Merchant Marine Academy. Rensselaer is riding a two-game winning streak and has a 4-2 overall record. RPI is 2-1 in the Liberty League, tied with the Mariners and two other schools. USMMA is 3-2 overall. 

THE SERIES
Rensselaer and Merchant Marine have played 24 times and the all-time series is tied, 12-12. The two schools first played on September 29, 1945, with the Mariners winning, 26-19, to start a six game winning streak. RPI captured three in a row from 1955 to 1957), but USMMA countered with its own three-game winning streak (1958-60). Following a 44-year hiatus, Rensselaer won four straight contests (2004-07) after Merchant Marine joined the Liberty League. RPI has won each of the last three contests.

ENGINEERS LAST WEEK
Quarterback Ed Trimpert threw two touchdown passes and ran for the game-winning score with only 20 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to lead RPI to a 21-17 victory over No. 22 Hobart. Trailing by three points with just over a minute remaining following a seven-yard touchdown pass by the visitors with 1:12 left in the fourth frame, RPI gained excellent field position on the ensuing kickoff. Six plays later, Trimpert dropped back to pass but was flushed from the pocket. He started left and then went to his right, breaking two tackles, before heading up field and eventually running over the goal line. It was nearly Hobart that took the victory when it drove 60 yards on nine plays for a 17-14 lead with 1:12 to play. Trimpert finished with 14 rushing yards on 10 carries and 109 passing yards, completing 14 of 20 attempts. John Costello caught a team-high five passes for 31 yards and a touchdown (8 yards), while Johnny Ramsdell had two receptions for 18 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown. Linebackers Brandt Beck and Alexander Greenidge led RPI with nine and seven tackles, respectively. 

AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS
RPI sophomore Connor Davies is fourth in the nation in punt return yardage, averaging 20.8 yards per attempt. Junior Christian Kapp is 18th in Division III in field goal percentage (85.7%). Merchant Marine is third in the country in rushing yards per game (367.0) and fifth in third down conversion percentage (55.2). The Mariners have the three highest rushing attempts in a game this season (83, 80, 78).

USMMA TO DATE
Merchant Marine began the season with a 31-27 win over Coast Guard before losing at SUNY Maritime (20-16). The Mariners then beat Rochester in their home opener, 55-7, before losing at Hobart (38-35) and defeating WPI (45-44) in Worcester.

UPCOMING
RPI hosts WPI in the Transit Trophy Game on Family Weekend on October 22 at noon before having a bye. The Mariners host St. Lawrence the same day and time for the Hoffman Cup.

FOLLOW THE ACTION
All Rensselaer football games are aired live on WRPI, 91.5 FM, and on the Internet at www.wrpi.org ... All home games feature live statistics at http://www.sidearmstats.com/rpi/football/ ... A free, live full production is available for the home games online at www.rpitv.org.