PORT NECHES — The field might not be the same, but the environment is, if you ask Austin Bost.

“We’re going to go over there [to Nederland] with the same attitude we had last year when we won and come out Bum Phillips Bowl champions,” Port Neches-Groves’ senior linebacker said.

Like many rivalry games, the bleachers on both sides of the field are packed to standing-room capacity. One side of bleachers is filled with one color; the other side with another color.

A game like that is too big just for homecoming, and both opponents are usually better than one visiting for homecoming. This one — Port Neches-Groves vs. Nederland — has a trophy at stake for the fourth consecutive year.

And a few more incentives.

PNG (8-0, 7-0 in 22-5A) stands one win away from its first unbeaten regular season and first outright district championship since 2009. Brandon Faircloth’s first team reached the area round that season.

Nederland (6-2, 5-2) has turned around its program from 4-6 a year ago, but the Bulldogs need a win to get into the 5A playoffs next week. Otherwise, they’ll need Baytown Lee to upset Beaumont Central on Saturday to keep their season alive.

“Every year, you can’t add any more hoopla to the game, but somehow, we find a way,” Faircloth said, his team already winning a share of 22-5A for the third year in a row. “As a coach and a player, those are things you can’t worry about. … We just have to worry about doing our job and playing our best game of the season. We’ve got a playoff game next Friday night that tomorrow night will help with. We have to find a way to enjoy the moment and not take it for granted. It’s the No. 1 rivalry in Texas. Coach [Monte] Barrow and his staff do a great job.”

The top rivalry in Texas, as ranked by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, has been contested 93 times since 1925, although not every year. PNG has won 49 meetings, including the last one at The Reservation. Nederland won 37, including six straight from 2010-15. Seven ties have occurred.

“Definitely when we lost it was a heartbreaking thing,” PNG senior running back/receiver Preston Hughes said, who was a sophomore when James Brindza’s field goal gave Nederland a 30-27 win in Port Neches.

“It was by a field goal. It’s always a heartbreaking thing when you lose by a field goal. When we won [41-21 at PNG last year], it was definitely heartwarming for the seniors. Last game of the season at the Reservation and the Bum Phillips Bowl? It can’t get better than that.”

Friday night, Bulldog Stadium will be the scene of battle for the first time since the Bum Phillips Bowl trophy was first presented three years ago.

“We’re going to be selfish and we want to win it back,” Hughes said. “It’s the seniors’ last Bum Phillips Bowl. Not many players get to play in a big game like this.”

Oh, but the Bulldogs and Indians are the lucky ones.

“It’s always intense,” PNG senior linebacker Austin Bost said. “It’s always going to be a fight. But we’re just going to go out there, play our keys. Offense has a good scheme. Defense has a good scheme. We’re going to go out there and win.”

If the Indians win, it likely won’t be in any small part to junior quarterback Roschon Johnson. The future University of Texas Longhorn is the only player in 22-5A with more than 2,000 passing yards (2,131) and also has 665 rushing yards. He already has combined for 42 touchdowns, 26 of them passing, and has totaled five or more touchdowns each game this season.

His favorite target, senior Preston Riggs, has caught for 1,001 yards and 13 touchdowns, more than twice of the second-place receiver in the district, Lee junior Montrell Motton.

Nederland’s formidable backfield including juniors Landon Hiltz and Noah Lewis, each with six interceptions, will try to limit Johnson’s targets.

Faircloth did not waste any time preparing for this game. He’s had the luxury of seeing Nederland on film in preparing for the last eight games.

“We always follow them in the district schedule, so we get their film every week, “ he said. “We’re always watching them, so it’s the luck of the draw. We’ve been able to watch their film every week as a result of playing their opponents.”

Next week, that luxury won’t help the Indians any. They’ll play a District 21-5A opponent in the playoffs.

“This game is going to help us prepare for the playoffs,” Hughes said. “We need to take this game and then go on to the next and hopefully go on in the playoffs.”

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I.C. Murrell: 549-8541. Twitter: @ICMurrellPANews