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Engineers
RPI football team photo in the ECAC Clayton Chapman Bowl on Saturday, November 22, 2025 at St. John Fisher University in Pittsford, New York
Photo Courtesy: St. John Fisher Athletics
35
Winner Rensselaer RPI 8-3 , 5
24
St. John Fisher ST. JOHN 7-4 , 5
Winner
Rensselaer RPI
8-3 , 5
35
Final
24
St. John Fisher ST. JOHN
7-4 , 5
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
RPI Rensselaer 7 7 14 7 35
ST. JOHN St. John Fisher 0 17 0 7 24

Game Recap: Football | | Adrian Donnelly - Assistant Athletic Director for Communications

RPI Captures Third Straight ECAC Bowl with 35–24 Win at St. John Fisher

PITTSFORD, N.Y. — The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) football team closed its 2025 season with a 35-24 victory against St. John Fisher in the ECAC Clayton Chapman Bowl this afternoon at Growney Stadium. The win marked RPI's third consecutive ECAC bowl title and capped an eight-win campaign for the Engineers.

RPI struck first on its opening drive, marching 70 yards in just under six minutes as quarterback Anthony DeMatteo connected with Robbie Peterson for a three-yard touchdown. St. John Fisher responded with a field goal, but the Engineers quickly regained momentum when defensive lineman Cortez Garrett forced a fumble and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown to give RPI a 14–3 advantage. The Cardinals answered with back-to-back touchdown passes from Ryan Whitney late in the second quarter to take a 17–14 halftime lead.

The Engineers wasted no time regaining control after the break. On the second play of the third quarter, Kayden White broke free for a 37-yard touchdown run to put RPI back ahead, 21–17. Later in the period, DeMatteo found tight end Josh Young on a one-yard scoring strike following a 55-yard burst by White, extending the lead to 28–17.

RPI put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter with a methodical 11-play, 82-yard drive capped by an eight-yard touchdown pass from DeMatteo to RJ Encarnacion.

White was named the game's most valuable player after leading the RPI offense with 128 rushing yards and a touchdown on just 11 carries, averaging 11.6 yards per attempt. DeMatteo was efficient through the air, completing 13 of 17 passes for 132 yards and three touchdowns. Paisley Nickelson caught two passes for a team-high 54 yards, while Peterson, Young, and Encarnacion each hauled in touchdown receptions.

Defensively, Miles Lafferty led the Engineers with eight tackles and a sack, while Aidan Bekkenhuis added seven stops, a tackle for loss, and a forced fumble. Garrett delivered one of the game's pivotal plays with his strip-sack and score, while Griffin Kramer and Garrett each recorded interceptions in the second half. The RPI defense also tallied six tackles for loss and two sacks while forcing four total turnovers.
 
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