TROY, NY – Andrew Franks kicked a 25 yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter to lead RPI to a 31-28 victory over Union College in the annual "Dutchman Shoes Trophy Game" at East Campus Stadium Saturday. The Engineers finished the 2014 season with a 6-4 mark and 4-3 in the Liberty League, while the Dutchmen finish 2-8 overall and 2-6 in the league.

Union senior running back Darnel Thomas had a game high 143 yards on 32 carries with two touchdowns. He finished the season with a total of 1,102 rushing yards, becoming the first 1,000 yard rusher at Union since Chris Coney in 2010. Dante Cioffi was 11 for 24 for 136 yards and a touchdown and Josh Callahan had a season high 87 yards receiving on six catches with a touchdown for the Dutchmen. Quarterback Connor Eck, in his final game for Union, was six for 13 with 57 yards and a touchdown. Jake LaRovera had a team high nine tackles and Tyler Valenti had a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a tackle for a loss for the Dutchmen. Union had 358 yards in offense.

Mike Tivinis had 89 yards rushing for the Engineers while Tommy Morgan was nine for 17 for 120 yards and a TD and Matt Lane had four catches for 48 yards. Connor Young and Nick Borkowski had 11 tackles each and Borkowski had an interception. It was the second straight year RPI won The Dutchman Shoes Trophy. Union leads the trophy series 47-18 and the all-time series, 81-27-4 in New York State's oldest collegiate football rivalry.

Union received the opening kickoff and went 62 yards on 14 plays in 5:46. But a field goal attempt from 35 yards missed right and RPI took over at the Engineers 20 yard line with 9:14 left in the first quarter.

RPI's ensuing drive ended on a turnover. On a first down from the Union 49, Reggie Colas fumbled after a seven yard run, forced by Chris Carbone, and it was recovered by Union's Pat Sullivan at the Dutchman 42 yard line with 6:05 remaining. Four plays later, Ryan Buss intercepted a Union pass at the RPI 46 and returned it 19 yards to the Union 35. The Engineers drive then set up a fourth down from the Union 35, but an RPI field goal attempt from 52 yards out was wide left and it remained scoreless.

The Dutchmen took the lead early in the second quarter on a drive that started with 2:30 left in the first. A 10 play, 65 yard drive that took 4:03 was capped by a Thomas two yard touchdown run with 13:41 remaining in the second. Thomas had a 22 yard run on the second play of that drive, and that put him over 1,000 for the season. 

Union made it 14-0 with 7:59 left in the half. Eck found Jake Faas for a nine yard touchdown pass to complete an eight play, 47 yard drive in 3:54. During that play, Union got a personal foul penalty call on RPI on a third and 10 from the 19 to keep it alive. On the next drive, RPI got on the board. Reggie Colas rushed from 10 yards out with 6:37 left in the second quarter. Tivinis had a 52 yard run on the second play of that four play, 71 yard drive that took 1:23.

The Engineers tied it on a big defensive play on Union's next drive. Borkowski intercepted a pass at the RPI 25 and returned it 75 yards for the touchdown and it was 14-14 with 3:42 left in the quarter. After a four-and-out by the host defense, RPI took the lead for the first time. Morgan hit Logan Gaddar for 36 yards for a 21-14 lead with 30 seconds remaining in the half. It was a 10 play, 68 yard drive in 2:03.

With one second remaining, Union attempted a 45 yard field  goal but it was short as the clock expired , keeping it 21-14 RPI as the teams headed into the half.

RPI got the ball to start the second half, but a Morgan pass on a fourth and five from the Union 28 was intercepted by Thomas Hayes at the 23 and he returned it 12 yards. Union tied it up at 21-21 with 7:44 left in the third as Thomas ran in from four yards out for his second rushing score of the day and seventh of the year. The 12 play, 70 yard drive took 3:44 and featured a 24 yard pass to Reynolds and a 10 yard strike to Callahan that provided a first down at the RPI four yard line. On RPI's next drive, Valenti hit Shane Drummond and forced and recovered the fumble at the Union 46. Union took the 28-21 lead on a big fourth down play, On a fourth and 19 from the RPI 34, Cioffi hit Callahan in the end zone for the Dutchmen lead with 3:44 left in the third quarter. It was an eight play, 50 yard drive that consumed 2:55, and it was 28-21 Union heading to the fourth quarter.

RPI tied it up again with 8:54 remaining in the fourth. Morgan ran an eight yard touchdown to wrap up a seven play, 86 yard drive in 4:54 to make it 28-28. The Engineers then called for an onside kick, and it was recovered by the Engineers' Casey McHugh at the Union 38. RPI got a 25 yard field goal by Andrew Franks for a 31-28 lead with 7:00 left in the fourth. It was a five play, 30 yard drive in 1:54.

Union took over on its own 46 with 6:55 remaining. The Dutchmen got to the RPI 32 but on a fourth and 13 a pass attempt failed and the Engineers took over with 3:40 to go, then ran out the clock.