TIFTON — This is the slowest week of the year for high school football in the Tiftarea. Three of the area’s eight teams — Tift County, Tiftarea Academy and Worth County — will not be in action.

But that does not mean there will not be some exciting games in the area Friday night.

The biggest game in the area and one of the biggest games in the state will be a Class AA matchup of state-ranked teams.

Playing at Jaycee Stadium in Fitzgerald, the Purple Hurricanes, ranked fifth in this week’s Class AA state Associated Press poll, will play host to the Dodge County Indians, ranked sixth.

That 7:30 p.m. game will be a non-region contest, but could have repercussions in the state playoffs later this year.

Coming off of an off week, the Cook High Hornets, ranked eighth in the state, will be playing host to the Randolph-Clay Red Devils in a Region 1-AA matchup. Cook fell 21-14 to third-ranked Early County Sept. 14.

In another Region 1-AA contest, the Berrien High Rebels will travel down to Thomasville to face the Bulldogs.

The Irwin County Indians and the Turner County Rebels will each face key crossover games in the Region 2-A wars.

Irwin County will host the Telfair County Trojans in Ocilla, while Turner will be hosting the Treutlen High Vikings at Alan Hobby Field in Ashburn.

While three local schools will take this week off, things will pick back up Oct. 5.

Turner County will be the only team taking that weekend off as seven of the eight teams in our area will be playing Oct. 5.

That week will be highlighted by Tift County at Valdosta, Irwin County at Wilcox County and Thomasville at Cook.