The Fort Dodge football team rarely has the opportunity to be an underdog on their own field for Homecoming.

On paper, head coach Matt Miller’s squad is just that here Friday as they welcome unbeaten Newton to Dodger Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

The Cardinals (5-0 overall, 1-0 in Class 4A, District 4) are flying high, having won their opening five contests of the 2016 campaign by a combined 167 points. Fort Dodge (3-2, 0-1) is hoping to put an end to that streak and recapture the momentum it had carried into last week’s lopsided loss at top-ranked West Des Moines Valley.

”We’re itching to get back out there and hopefully play well on a great night for football in front of a huge crowd,” said Miller, who needs one victory to pass his mentor, Sam Moser, for second place on the school’s career charts. ”Newton is playing really well and will bring a ton of confidence and swagger at us. That’s where 5-0 gets you. We have a lot of respect for what they’ve done coming off (a 1-8 season last year) and the way their kids responded to that adversity.

”They’re always a big, physical ballclub. We knew them well (from being CIML rivals through 2009). It’s another tremendous challenge having them back on the schedule, given how they’ve performed so far.”

The Cardinals have been a rushing juggernaut to date, racking up the third-best aggregate total in 4A at 1,458 yards and 22 touchdowns. Senior Jordan Norvell (47 carries, 380 yards, four touchdowns) and classmate Reese Rosenquist (39-329-4) have led the way, while junior quarterback Garrett Sturtz has rushed for 222 yards and thrown for 391 more.

Junior Trevor Ergenbright, the son of head coach Ed Ergenbright, has caught 14 balls for 276 yards and three scores. Sturtz is completing nearly 80 percent of his passes.

Newton pounded Marshalltown in its district opener at home last Friday, 45-14.

”We’re going to have to stop the run,” Miller said. ”It will come down to that, as well as special teams and turnovers. They use a lot of pitches, rocket sweeps and counters offensively, which sets up the play-action pass. And defensively, they bring it. They’ll put pressure on us all night long.”

Dodger sophomore quarterback Drake Miller continues to rank near the top of the 4A charts with 1,032 yards passing at 65 percent accuracy (96 of 148). Senior receiver Jonathan Bowser (31 catches, 351 yards), junior Trey Mosley (28 for 356 and 5 TDs) and junior Tyrnan Lara (22 for 182) are all among the Top-10 receivers in 4A.

The Dodgers are relatively healthy, with only sophomore defensive lineman Carson Martin (concussion) sidelined. Junior linebacker Cayd Lara and junior lineman Aaron Porter, key components to the FDSH gameplan, have been held out of practice for most of the week, but both are expected to play.

Fort Dodge is 11-5 in Homecoming contests since 2000, with victories in six of the last eight years. The Dodgers sport a 8-4 Homecoming record under Miller’s direction.

Weather conditions are expected to be ideal throughout the night, with temperatures around 60 degrees, light winds and no chance of precipitation.

The freshman game begins at 4:45 p.m.