When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.

About Hughes: The No. 4-ranked Panthers (13-1) won the Region 3 championship. The offense is perfectly balanced between the run (230.5 yards) and passing (216.5 yards). Carsyn Baker (1,146 yards, 10 TDs) and Qwantavius Wiggins (973 yards, 12 TDs) pace the running game behind linemen Tavaris Dice (a Florida signee) and Dontrell Glover (a Georgiia signee). Christopher Langford (3,031 yards, 36 TDs) runs the offense and his favorite targets are Jabari Jones (33 catches, 10 TDs) and Jovanni McGee (33 catches, nine TDs), with Maurice Gleaton Jr. averaging 36.4 yards on 17 receptions, nine for touchdowns. Kjohn Braxton (87 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 11 sacks) and Aji Griggs (138 tackles) lead the defense.

About Milton: The No. 1-ranked Eagles (14-0), who won the 7A championship last year, won the Region 7 championship. Milton is led by QB Luke Nickell, the region’s offensive player of the year with 3,335 yards and 40 TDs. Other players named to the first-team all-region team are running back T.J. Lester (1,146 yards, 10 TDs), receivers C.J. Wiley (58 receptions, 1,064 yards, 14 TDs) and Tristen Payne (52 receptions, nine TDs), tight end Ethan Barbour (42 receptions, 11 TDs), lineman Brayden Jacobs, defensive linemen Caleb Bell (81 tackles, 11.5 sacks) and Caleb Ellis, linebackers Hayden Tumminia (122 tackles, 11 tackles for loss) and Tristan Lester, defensive backs Dylan Lewis, Ty Redmond and Ma’Khi Jones-Purnell, holder Cooper Bradshaw and kicker Alex Nover.

How they got there: Hughes def. Dunwoody 58-35, def. Roswell 31-21, def. Thomas County Central 28-12 and def. Coffee 49-26. Milton def. Woodstock 42-7, def. Dutchtown 41-3, def. Houston County 56-14 and def. Lee County 56-28.

Championship history: Hughes won the 2022 state championship and also reached the final in 2021. Milton has won two state titles (2018 and 2023) and reached the final in 2021.

Series history: Milton beat Hughes 17-14 in the second round of the 2014 playoffs.