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 play Newton on Saturday in Covington. 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.