Dayton can play Pioneer Football League spoiler in final game

“Our purpose is to win the game,” he said Wednesday. “Sure we want to have a great time for our seniors and to wrap up the season, but our goal is to win a football game — and not just a football game. Every year we want to be a factor in the PFL championship. We won’t be a part of that but this year, but we can still be a factor on Saturday.”

Dayton’s season will end with the noon game. Davidson (7-1, 6-0) can clinch a share of the Pioneer Football League championship by winning the game and could then win the title outright the following week when it closes the regular season at home against Drake.

Davidson could also win the outright championship, its second in a row, and the league’s playoff berth if it wins one of its last two games and San Diego (6-4, 6-1) loses its final game Nov. 20 at Stetson. San Diego doesn’t play this week. Marist, Morehead State and St. Thomas are tied for third place at 4-2, two games back of Davidson.

Dayton (5-4, 4-3) can play the spoiler in its final game and also secure a winning season. One of the seniors who will be honored Saturday is Fairborn High School graduate Brandon Easterling, who said it will be an emotional roller coaster.

“Every season has its ups and downs, but we’ve never felt this before,” Easterling said. “It’s coming to an end, and it’s exciting. But at the end of the day, we definitely want to cap it off with a win.”

In addition to Easterling, Dayton will honor Sam Broom, Joe Bubonics. Jake Chisholm, Jack Cook, Joe Durham, Grant Dyer, Shane Ferrick, Kyle Finnick, Andrew Holderer, Nick Keyes, Jonny Krone, Jake Lyons, Danny Meehan, Zach Rumpke, Owen Smith, Cameron Specht, Mason Stauffer, Mike Stodola, Logan Tate and A.J. Watson.

Dayton has won back-to-back games against Butler and Stetson after losing two straight games to Marist and Valparaiso.

Davidson has won seven straight games since losing its season opener 45-24 at VMI. Dayton leads the series against Davidson 13-1 and has won nine straight games.

Davidson leads the Football Championship Subdivision in rushing (330.2 yards per game). Easterling said Dayton will have to play disciplined football to win.

“They run some style or some version of a Wing-T or triple option, whatever you want to call it,” he said. “The name of the game for that is just doing your job, doing your assignment.”

SATURDAY’S GAME

Davidson at Dayton, Noon, Facebook Live, 1290, 95.7