SCHENECTADY, N.Y. — The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) football team mounted a furious second-half comeback but ultimately fell 28–21 to rival Union College in the 2025 edition of the Dutchman Shoes Trophy Game this afternoon at Frank Bailey Field. The contest marked another chapter in one of Division III's oldest rivalries, with RPI's defense and special teams sparking a late surge that came up just one possession short.

Union built an early lead behind a pair of first-half rushing touchdowns from quarterback Patch Flanagan and a short scoring pass midway through the second quarter, taking a 21–0 advantage. RPI answered just before halftime when quarterback Anthony DeMatteo led a five-play, 63-yard drive capped by a seven-yard touchdown pass to Josh Young, cutting the deficit to 14 at the break.

The Engineers carried that momentum into the second half. After Cassius Johnson intercepted a pass late in the second quarter to set up RPI's first score, the defense continued to tighten, forcing multiple punts and holding Union scoreless in the third period. Early in the fourth, Kayden White finished off a short 11-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run following a 43-yard punt return from Cortez Garrett, trimming the deficit to 21–14.

Union briefly extended its lead to 28–14 on a 28-yard touchdown pass early in the final quarter, but RPI refused to go quietly. With just over two minutes remaining, defensive end Owen Boland stripped the ball on a sack near the 20-yard line, scooped up the fumble, and returned it for a touchdown to bring the Engineers within one score. Despite one final drive that reached the Union five-yard line, RPI's potential game-tying series ended two yards short of the end zone as time expired.

White led the RPI offense with 97 rushing yards and a touchdown on 18 carries, while DeMatteo completed 19 of 32 passes for 148 yards and a score. Robbie Peterson led the wideouts with 42 yards on three catches, and Young added 23 yards and the first-half touchdown. Garrett and Gage Swanger combined for 119 return yards.

Defensively, Matt Krauza led the Engineers with 11 tackles, followed by P.J. Poknis with 10 and Miles Lafferty with nine. Boland added six tackles, two tackles for loss, and the fumble-return touchdown. Gianluca Santarelli and Scott Dochat each contributed a sack, helping RPI limit Union to just seven points after halftime.

RPI finishes the regular season 7–3 overall and 5–2 in Liberty League play.