TIFTON — The regular season begins this week for Tift County and Tiftarea Academy football teams Friday night. Both are on the road, Tiftarea Academy going to Central Fellowship and Tift playing at Griffin.

Griffin is one of the oldest football programs in the state, with its known history stretching back to 1908. Shockingly, the Bears and Blue Devils have only met once before — a 1990 state quarterfinal playoff game in Tifton. This will be the first ever trip to Griffin for the Blue Devils and their first ever appearance at Griffin’s historic Memorial Stadium.

Friday will be the regular season debut for head coach Jeff Littleton at Tift’s helm. The Blue Devils played a scrimmage last week against Brooks County, one that saw the Trojans stymie them at the goal line twice in the fourth quarter in a 6-0 loss. Tift’s junior varsity won their quarter, 9-0, over Brooks.

Clifford Fedd is in his second season as Griffin’s head coach. The Bears went 1-9 last year, the win being over West Laurens, 44-27. Otherwise, Griffin was outscored 295-61. They were dropped in their scrimmage by Hampton, 9-7.

Tiftarea heads for east Macon and another game with Central Fellowship. The two have been regular opponents since 2021.

The Panthers tied Central Fellowship last year, a year after the Lancers took a narrow 33-29 victory.

Central Fellowship was a 7-3-1 team in 2023, breaking a string of three consecutive state titles won between the GAPPS and GISA.

A late surge in 2023 saw the Panthers finish 3-8-1, advancing to the quarterfinals of the GIAA state tournament. They had a scoreless tie in last week’s scrimmage against Randolph-Clay.

Tiftarea will remain on the road next week, though only barely. The Panthers travel to Turner County. Tift will play its first home game Aug. 23, homecoming against Gadsden County, Florida.