TIFTON — “Around here, this is the Super Bowl,” said Fitzgerald head football coach Tucker Pruitt.

Irwin County travels to Fitzgerald tonight. Jaycee Stadium is the site of the 7:30 p.m. game.

It’s a game that likely will have few implications on playoffs. Irwin might get a bit of a push in the power ratings. Statistically for Fitzgerald, it will only show up in a win-loss column. This is the second game of the season for both teams, the time of the year when state tournaments are but dreams.

But this is not just a football game for Fitzgerald. It is not just a football game for Irwin County.

This is a feud. A rivalry. What began as a fight for the county seat more than a century ago spilled over to the playing fields. Legends are made here. The fates of coaches have been tied to this game in the past.

Irwin County has not beaten Fitzgerald since a 32-13 romp in 1999. The Purple Hurricane have won 17 of 18 games since then, a string only interrupted by a 20-20 tie in 2013.

No matter the results of the past, Pruitt knows another win for his team is not a formality. In fact, he’s worried about his players.

“Our challenge is to be as hungry as they are,” he said.

Both won their openers by sizable scores.

Irwin demolished Berrien, 41-7. Fitzgerald was up 45-0 at halftime at Bacon County, a score that ended 45-7.

“We played everybody we could,” said Irwin head coach Buddy Nobles.

D.J. Lundy ran for 152 yards and two touchdowns to lead Irwin, with other rushing touchdowns coming from Jay Stanley and Eric Anderson. Zach Smith passed for two scores, one to Jamorri Colson and another to Wil Hudson.

Fitzgerald threw for three touchdowns, two by Justin Reliford and one by Kody Krause. Ozzie Hampton caught a score from each. Quantavious Pugh, Reliford and Martez Hannah ran for touchdowns.

“Great quarterback,” said Nobles, before quickly correcting himself. “Two great quarterbacks.”

“Their kids are really thumpers on offensive line.”

Pruitt referred to Irwin’s backfield assortment as “thunder and lightning.” Lundy is the big hitter and Stanley is the quick one who catches passes.

Pruitt thinks the outcome won’t feature scores quite as high as the opening week. Last year, the teams combined for 37 points. In 2016, though, they combined for 75.

This game is more than a feud. There is respect, too.

As an assistant for Robby Pruitt, Nobles coached Tucker, Pruitt’s son. Tucker Pruitt and Nobles embraced at the Kickoff for Men’s Health season preview event in July. They only say good things about of the team of the other.

“People say [Fitzgerald is] down,” said Nobles, “but they’re not.” Nobles believes Fitzgerald deserves to be ranked. The Hurricane had the 11th most votes in this week’s Georgia Sports Writers Association poll. Pruitt said the scariest part about Irwin as a team was everything.

Irwin will move on from the feud to a game with Mount Paran Christian, one of the state’s best regarded private school teams in Class A. Fitzgerald travels to Dooly County, another school loaded with offense.