They may come from different counties, but the close proximity of Douglas County and Hughes has helped the game develop into quite a rivalry game.

The two will be featured this week on GPB’s Football Fridays in Georgia broadcast. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m.

Hughes, No. 5 in the GPB Class 5A rankings, has not been pushed in either of its first two games. The Panthers pummeled Westlake, then ranked No. 9, 52-21 in the opener and followed that with a 52-16 romp over Mays. The Panthers, coached by Daniel Williams, did not play over the weekend. Hughes is ranked No. 70 in the nation by MaxPreps.

Douglas County, No. 3 in the GPB Class 6A Rankings, began the season with lopsided wins over Cedar Grove (42-7) and Jonesboro (48-8). The Tigers beat Class 7A Newton 35-15 on Saturday. The Tigers are coached by Johnny White and are ranked No. 18 in the national rankings by MaxPreps.

Hughes leads the series 10-4, but Douglas County has won four of the last five meetings. Douglas County won 30-27 last season after Hughes prevailed 48-3 on the way to a state championship in 2022.