The Dayton Broncos are heading down to The Reservation to face PNG at 7:30 p.m., coming off a 27-19 loss against the Nederland Bulldogs, and maybe still remembering how PNG edged out on top in the final minutes of the fourth quarter of their game last year.

The Broncos had scored 16 points within 10 seconds in the fourth, enough to tie the game with only 3:17 left. PNG then put up four plays for a 67-yard drive, followed by a 54-yard catch from Jaylan Williams for a touchdown to win 44-37.

Dayton (1-5, 0-3 in 12-5A-II) this time will face a hardening PNG defense (4-2, 2-1 in 12-5A-II) that, while allowing 1,908 yards so far this year, managed to keep the Crosby Cougars to one touchdown last week in a 13-7 loss.

PNG is still preparing for a tough game, though.

“(Dayton’s) a great team, they’re really well coached, they’ve got some great players, they’ve had some things not go their way this season, just like we had last Friday night,” PNG head coach Brandon Faircloth said. “But they’re definitely dangerous and can win. We’ve got to go be our best to give ourselves a chance.”

The Broncos are coming in with more total rushing yards this season than PNG, 847 compared to PNG’s 729, Dayton has been eclipsed by PNG’s passing game, gaining only 338 yards compared to PNG’s 1,142.

PNG quarterback junior Blake Bost’s prodigious passing statistics are much of the reason for the high numbers. He has recorded the most passing attempts, by far, in the district at 187 with 104 completions, and an average completion rate of 55.61%, the second best in the district.

Against Dayton’s defense, which has allowed the most passing yards in the district at 888, PNG could be poised to make big plays against the Broncos.

“Every week we’re going to do what we think is going to win the game,” Faircloth said. “We want to be balanced offensively, 50 [percent] rushing, 50 passing. It depends on what Dayton is going to give us to work with.”

Dayton’s own quarterback, junior Christopher Olige, has garnered the most rushing yards for the Broncos so far, gaining 287 yards on 86 carries, the second most carries in the district.

“Stopping the rushing game is going to be everybody’s goal on defense in this district, and Christopher Olige is a good quarterback,” Faircloth said.