Football | 9/23/2021 1:00:00 PM

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher College football team will look to start a new winning streak at 12 p.m. on Saturday when it travels to the Capital Region to take on the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Engineers in the team's final non-conference showdown of the season.

You're going to want to utilize the links below to stay connected to each and every play on Saturday as the Cardinals and Engineers square off for the first time since 2010.

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If you're having a hard time waiting for Saturday and need to know more about this weekend's matchup now, we've got you covered in this week's game notes.

GOLDEN DAYS: The traditional gift for 50 years of marriage is gold and this year marks the golden anniversary of the St. John Fisher College football program.  Founded in 1971 as a club team, Fisher has won nearly 280 games and boasts a winning percentage of nearly .600 in that time.  The College has enjoyed eight seasons with at least 10 wins, six Empire 8 conference title, five NCAA berths, three club national championships and hundreds of All-Conference honorees.
 
WHEN LAST WE MET: It's been nearly 11 years since the Cardinals and Engineers last met on the gridiron as Fisher posted a convincing 56-13 win over RPI on November 20, 2010 to secure an ECAC Bowl win.  Tim Bailey was named the Most Valuable Player after he threw for over 300 yards and three TDs while the team racked up 251 yards on the ground.
 
SERIES HISTORY: In a series that dates back to 1993, Fisher has struggled historically against the Engineers with a 2-11 overall mark.  Fisher won the first meeting in the early 90s, 17-0, but RPI rattled off 11 straight victories until the ECAC Bowl in 2010.  These two programs used to meet annually and played in every season stretching from 1993-2003.

LAST TIME OUT: The Cardinals are coming off their first loss of the season after falling to Hobart last weekend, 42-21.  Fisher and Hobart drew even at 7-7 in the first quarter on a 27-yard touchdown pass from Michael Krafty to Johnathan Letta, but the Statesmen countered with the game's next three touchdowns including a 90-yard kickoff return to hold a 28-7 lead in the third.  From there, Pat Galer hauled in a seven-yard touchdown catch and Peyton Nolan punched it in from a yard out, but time ran out on the comeback bid.  In all, Fisher accounted for a season-low 176 total yards of offense while Hobart produced nearly 300 yards on the ground.
 
PRESSURE UP FRONT: Through its first three games, Fisher has struggled to get into its opponent's backfield as the Cardinals have accounted for just two sacks. The Engineers are a pass-first type offense that has generally protected the quarterback well after yielding four sacks through three games. Look for Fisher to ratchet up the pressure in the trenches in an effort to slow down RPI's passing game.
 
SCOUTING RPI: The Engineers enter their matchup with Fisher at 3-0 and receiving votes in the latest D3football.com national poll after dispatching WPI last Saturday, 24-10.  Head coach Ralph Isernia's squad hasn't shown much of a ground game over its first three contests as the Engineers are averaging a shade over 60 yards per game, but the team's aerial assault has been on full display with George Marinopoulos accounting for over 700 yards and seven touchdowns already this year.  The senior signal caller has three strong options at receiver led by Peter Lombardi who owns 15 catches for 172 yards overall.  Sterling Walker-Sutton has 13 grabs for 151 yards and a touchdown while Vinnie McDonald is averaging 18 yards per reception (8/144) and has one touchdown in all.  RPI can be prone to turnovers through its first three games with two picks and three lost fumbles so look for Fisher to turn up the pressure and try to flip the field.  
 
Defensively, RPI has limited its opposition to 103.3 passing yards per game and just one touchdown through the air.  Joe Deptula leads the group with 27 tackles including five for a loss while CJ Lyons owns 20 stops and a pass breakup.  Connor Ahern and Cole McGrath have combined to add 33 tackles while Austin Charles has 15 total tackles to his credit.         
 
LOOKING AHEAD: Following Saturday's meeting, thousands of fans from across the region will descend on Pittsford as the Cardinals are set to host Brockport in Courage Bowl XVI.  The Courage Bowl, which has become one of Division III's most anticipated contests, directly benefits Camp Good Days, which is a not-for-profit organization that provides thousands of children with cancer the opportunity to come together in a residential camping experience to be with the only ones who could truly understand what they were going through – other children with cancer.  Since its founding by Fisher assistant coach Gary Mervis, Camp Good Days has impacted more than 45,000 campers from 22 states and 29 countries.  With a small group of paid employees, Camp Good Days is a volunteer-based organization.  To avoid placing any additional financial burden on the families served, all of the programs are offered free of charge for the participants.
 
THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT: In case you missed it, Fisher Athletics launched its new mobile app last fall - SJFC Athletics - in the App Store and on Google Play.  The app, which gives fans, alumni, parents and more yet another opportunity to stay-up-to-date with the latest news, highlights, schedules and more, is free and features push notifications so you never miss a beat.  Speaking of apps, don't forget to download the Audacy mobile app to listen to each and every football game - just search ESPN ROCHESTER.