A pair of rivalry games are among our featured football matchups in Middle Georgia

Look for undefeated teams and rivalry games this week in our featured high school football matchups.

Jones County (6-0) vs. Dutchtown (6-0)

7:30 p.m. Friday at Jones County

Story of the game: Two teams with two ways of winning. Jones County scores a lot. Dutchtown doesn’t have to score much at all. Jones County has put up over 250 points on the season while the Dutchtown defense has only given up 23. Each team has found a way to stay undefeated so far, and the way they win has worked.

Keys to the game for Jones County: Hunter Costlow and his wide receiving corp is arguably the best in Middle Georgia. They overwhelm opponents with their passing attack as it is hard to contain Jontavis Robertson. Jones County will need that connection to be strong for them to grab the win.

Keys to the game for Dutchtown: Defense wins championships, and the Bulldogs have a good one. No game has even been close for this team as the defense has pitched three shutouts and has yet to allow over 10 points in a game. However, they have not faced an offense nearly as talented as Jones County. This will be their toughest test to date. It will be interesting to see what happens if they allow Jones County to keep pace with their offense. The Bulldogs offense really hasn’t faced much adversity as they haven’t needed to score much to win games.

Staff picks: Justin pick: Jones County; Hayes pick: Dutchtown

Fan pick: Jones County

Howard (4-2) vs. Perry (4-2)

7:30 p.m. Friday at Perry

Story of the game: The Howard Huskies have been on an emotional rollercoaster this season. They almost knocked off Jones County in the opener, then grabbed back-to-back blowout wins before upsetting Westside. The Huskies then lost to Jackson the following week before bouncing back last week with a gritty win over West Laurens. Perry on the other hand is just trying to get back to its early season form. The Panthers reeled off four straight wins before losing a thriller to Veterans in the final minute. Last week, Perry dropped a second straight game, this time to Upson-Lee by a score of 48-31.

Keys to the game for Howard: The Huskies will need to take care of the ball. The strength of this team lies on the defensive side. If the offense can take care of the ball, then Howard should be able to pull out the victory. The fewer possessions that Perry has the ball the better with as good as that offense is for them.

Keys to the game for Perry: The Panthers have a lethal combination in Lane Rucker and Davion Ross. In Perry’s last win, Ross totaled 200 yards receiving. In the loss to Upson-Lee, he had only 39. This team relies on Ross for its big plays, maybe a bit too much. Rucker will need to spread the ball out and find other guys, so teams can’t just key in on Ross every play.

Staff picks: Justin pick: Perry; Hayes pick: Howard

Fan pick: Perry

Tattnall (3-3) vs. Stratford (1-4)

7:30 p.m. Friday at Stratford

Story of the game: The last time we saw Stratford was in the overtime thriller with Mount de Sales where they looked poised to be the first loss for the Cavaliers. Unfortunately, Stratford’s extra point was blocked, and they left with a tough loss. Tattnall is coming into the game on a roll after blowing out its last two opponents. Stratford’s record may not indicate it, but this game could be evenly matched.

Keys to the game for Tattnall: Tattnall has a strong offense and the ability to jump out to a big lead early. The key will be getting off to a good start. If they go up 14-0 in the first quarter, they could be in for a good night. If this turns into a defensive battle similar to Stratford’s game with Mount de Sales, then Stratford might be better equipped to finish it out for the win.

Keys to the game for Stratford: The goal should be to hang around for four quarters. If they can go into the fourth quarter tied, then they have a shot to pull off the upset. Stratford has not scored the ball well enough to turn this game into a track meet. A 17-14 type game plays much more into the team’s favor.

Staff picks: Justin pick: Stratford; Hayes pick: Tattnall

Fan pick: Tattnall

Southwest (2-3) vs. Northeast (2-4)

7:30 p.m. Friday at Northeast

Story of the game: Both teams come into this matchup with losses to Dodge County. Southwest had a bye week after its 36-20 loss to Dodge. Northeast lost to Dodge last week 37-15. This should be a pretty even game for the most part as a lot hinges on the playmakers for each side.

Keys to the game for Southwest: Jaquez Pennimon is that dude. He plays both sides of the ball and can create plays from anywhere on the field. The Georgia State commitment, is the Patriots’ top receiving option and is one of the team’s better defenders. Pennimon can make plays on long routes and screens. Something to watch is when he lines up in the wildcat offense — where he takes the direct snap instead of the quarterback — as he scored on that against Dodge County. The Patriots will look to get the ball in his hands every chance they get.

Keys to the game for Northeast: Let their quarterback be special and stop Southwest’s. Nolan Ussery, The Telegraph’s Player of the Week from last week, is a star in the making. He dances around in the pocket, he makes guys miss and he can launch the ball down the field. He is the ultimate dual threat weapon. On the other side, Southwest has dynamic playmaking wide receivers and a quarterback that can get them the ball. Northeast must limit Southwest’s playmakers.

Staff picks: Justin pick: Northeast; Hayes pick: Southwest

Fan pick: Southwest

Pick Standings

Hayes: 11-1

Justin: 10-2

Fans: 9-3