RPI's homecoming weekend will proceed without a football game.

The Engineers' contest against U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday in Troy, was postponed on Thursday because of the federal government's partial shutdown.

The game has been tentatively rescheduled for Nov. 2 at noon at East Campus Stadium, pending the resolution of the government's budget impasse.

To take its place, RPI moved its women's soccer match against Clarkson, which was to be played after the football game, to 1 p.m. in East Campus Stadium.

"I wouldn't say there's disappointment," RPI associate athletic director for communications Kevin Beattie said. "I think it's an opportunity to showcase our women's soccer program and our athletes from a different sport. There are things you can control and things you can't."

Merchant Marine, overseen by the Department of Transportation, closed for normal operations this week because of the government's budget impasse.

The Merchant Marine coaching staff can not have contact with players during the shutdown, which prevented the team from holding supervised practices.

The teams could play on Nov. 2, when both have a bye. It was originally thought Merchant Marine couldn't make up the game because the academy has exams that week. But the shutdown has canceled classes this week and therefore moved the exam period.

Beattie said RPI is also applying for a waiver to play the game on Nov. 16, the week after the regular season ends, in case the shutdown drags on. That would be contingent on neither team qualifying for the NCAA Division III tournament.

Ellen Johnston, senior communications specialist for RPI's alumni association, said she thinks many alumni who would have attended the football game will still check in on women's soccer.

The event will include a FanFest and a Ferris wheel in honor of its inventor, 1881 RPI graduate George G.W. Ferris.

"It'll have a little bit of a different feel to it," Johnston said. "It's a good chance to see our soccer team."

Army's football game at Boston College and the Navy-Air Force contest will go ahead as scheduled this weekend. The Department of Defense gave the go-ahead for those three service academies to play.

Service academy football games are paid for with non-appropriated funds and have been long planned. Such funds generally come from outside sources and are not approved through Congress.

Wire services were used in this story. msingelais@timesunion.com • 518-454-5509