The Rensselaer Engineers’ magical season ended on December 13 in a place no one could have expected four months or even two weeks prior: an artificial turf field in Minnesota, home to one of Division III’s most storied football teams.
The Engineers lost 38-10 in a tough match-up with the eventual D-III Champion Johnnies of St. John’s University.
After rumbling through three NCAA rounds, including a 21-16 victory over Ithaca on their home turf in white-out conditions, the Engineers boarded a charter jet to the Land of 10,000 Lakes for a date with the Johnnies in Collegeville, MN and college football’s all time winningest coach, John Gagliardi, in the D-III National Semifinals.
The Engineers were considered huge underdogs, and with good reason. The Johnnies, ranked second in the nation entering the playoffs, had several weapons in their arsenal besides their famed coach, most notably senior wideout Blake Elliott, winner of the Gagliardi Trophy—the D-III equivalent of the Heisman, named after his coach—also quarterback Ryan Keating, who entered the game with one of the best quarterback ratings in the country, and sack artist Jeremy Hood on defense.
Early in the contest, the Engineers were the beneficiary of the game’s first turnover as sophomore linebacker Grant Cochran stripped SJU running back Jake Theis of the football, which was quickly scooped up by sophomore Matt Hackett.
The RPI defense held their ground against the highly touted Johnnies early on, holding the team scoreless and keeping Elliott well covered, but the Johnnies were able to break through just over midway through the first quarter.
Keating hit senior running back Josh Nelson with an 80 yard pass to open the game’s scoring with a touchdown before a raucous home crowd of more than 5,000. Nelson caught the pass in stride at mid-field and out-legged the Engineer secondary on his way to the end zone.
The Engineers refused to be intimidated. On their very next possession, RPI progressed down the field in swift fashion, driving 66 yards in 11 plays, highlighted by a 21 yard run by junior running back Otis Williams, and ending with senior quarterback Dan Cole hitting junior wideout Dan Stephens in the end zone with a 21 yard pass to tie the game at seven.
On St. John’s next possession, sophomore Tim Frame intercepted a pass from Keating in Johnnies’ territory, giving the Engineers control of the ball within striking distance.
On the very next play, Cole showed off his mobility as he scampered away from defenders for a 19- yard gain to the SJU 15-yard line, which set up a 28-yard field goal by senior kicker Matt Verenini, putting the Engineers up 10-7 near the start of the second quarter.
Later in the quarter, the Johnnies were able to gain significant yardage on a reverse byBlake Elliott— who had been having a quiet game up until that point—setting up a field goal by Johnnies kicker Brandon Keller to tie the game at 10.
The Johnnies would get another possession before halftime and put together another impressive drive, but Keating failed twice to find Elliott in the end zone thanks largely to the efforts of Tim Frame and the RPI secondary, and the half ended tied 10-10.
Midway through the third quarter, junior Ramses Jimenez forced Nelson to fumble near midfield and senior Mike Defilippi recovered, giving the Engineers hope for another score to go for the upset, but the SJU defense held solid, forcing a 3-and-out punt, which was short and gave the Johnnies excellent field position.
St. John’s then drove down the field, with Keating finding Josh Nelson for their second touchdown linkup of the day, a 6-yard pass on third-and-goal, frustrating an Engineer defense that had been hoping to hold the Johnnies to only a field goal in the red zone.
Cole and the RPI offense appeared to be responding immediately, with Cole hitting senior Flynn Cochran with an 18 yard pass, and then later throwing 41 yards to Dan Stephens.
However, with the ball sitting on the SJU 20 yard line, Cole threw his first pick of the game at a very inopportune time, as freshman defensive end Jamie Steffensmeier came away with Cole’s short pass intended for senior wideout Pat Hughes. SJU had possesion as the third quarter ended, but the Engineers trailed by only a touchdown. Yet, it seemed as though all hopes of an Engineer upset were fading quickly.
It was déjà vu once the Johnnies gained the red zone, as Keating hit Nelson for their third touchdown combination of the day, again on third-and-goal, putting SJU up by 14.
The next series was disastrous and ended any hope of an RPI comeback as Cole was sacked on first down, followed by a run by Williams that went backwards, and ended with an interception to SJU senior Cole Deibele, who ran it back 36 yards for another Johnnies score.
An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for celebration betrayed the SJU mood—the game was now essentially out of reach, and both sides seemed to realize it.
St. John’s would tack on another seven later in the quarter as Nelson found the end zone for a fourth time on the day, this time running it in from a yard out for the final rally of the game, as the Johnnies advanced to Stagg Bowl XXXI, leaving the Engineers to ponder what could have been while looking back on the most successful season since RPI students first stepped onto the gridiron for intercollegiate competition in 1886.
“Everyone said they were good,” remarked RPI Coach Joe King after the game. “They were right. Obviously we’re not yet at that level. We couldn’t get it done in the second half. Defensively, we gave up some big plays.”
“I’ve said it before—I’m not a very good loser. I can’t say that we’re ‘just happy to be here.’ We wanted to win today.”
Cole gave credit to the St. John’s defense for making the halftime adjustments needed to shutdown his high-flying offense.
“They were good at disguising when they were coming. Their defensive linesmen are incredible athletes. I don’t think I’ve ever faced pressure like that before.”
The RPI defense was able to contain Gagliardi winner Elliott to only six receptions for 53 yards despite getting several throws his way from Ryan Keating, but it turned out that the connection of the day was Keating to Nelson—eight times for 192 yards and three big touchdowns.
The SJU defense was able to sack the mobile Dan Cole four times, twice each by senior defense linemen Jeremy Hood and sophomore Damien Dumonceaux. Hood broke the St. John’s record for sacks in a career in the process.
The loss ended Cole’s remarkable collegiate career, who owns every meaningful school record for the quarterback position.
“I’m going to miss playing with him,” said an emotional Flynn Cochran, one of Cole’s favorite targets—who helped Cole by setting several receiving records himself during his equally remarkable career. “Dan Cole is an example to everyone who has played, and who will come to play at this school.”
Cole shared Cochran’s sentiments, “Going out with my teammates that I’ve had, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
In all, 16 Engineer seniors played their final game on the St. Johns field in Minnesota.
St. John’s advanced to become heavy underdogs against Mount Union, a school which going into the Stagg Bowl had lost only one game since 1996, won six of the last seven national championships, and had defeated Bridgewater by the score of 66-0 in their Semifinal game.
The Johnnies, however, proceeded to shock the college football world, holding the high-powered Mount Union offense to one touchdown and won the national championship, 24-6, in Salem, Virginia.
