But the on-song 37-year-old Cowra left-hander was still left angry with himself after getting out for 107 with Sussex likely to face a last-day battle to avoid an innings defeat.
Hughes, who'd made 136 in the southern county's previous match against Leicestershire, this time led a rearguard action on Sunday after Somerset had amassed 8-526dec over two days.
He had a scare on 99 when Tom Lammonby had a big shout for lbw, but he then scampered the single to get to three figures again off 133 balls, receiving the bonus of four overthrows.
He set himself for a long haul with Sussex going well on 3-204, but then blamed himself for what he called a "shit shot", edging to first slip, which he felt triggered a mini-collapse with his side going on to end the day on 8-236.
"We've got to turn up tomorrow and show a bit of steel and a bit of fight," declared Hughes, who'll have a big task second-time around.Â
"Absolutely I'm cross with myself - I blame that little collapse on myself... The satisfaction of scoring runs in this game never lasts for very long."
Nottinghamshire continue to look to their Australian allrounder Fergus O'Neill, who took two more wickets in Hampshire's second innings to go with his first-innings five-fer to give the county champions the edge against Hampshire at Southampton.
O'Neill, who'd earlier also battled for more than an hour to make 13 as Notts eked out a 15-run first-innings lead, took 2-19 off 11 probing overs to help reduce the home side to 4-82, but another in-form Aussie Jake Lehmann, who's battled to 30no after more than an hour, presents a real obstacle on the last day.
There's an exciting finish in prospect at Bristol, where a real captain's knock from former Test batter Cameron Bancroft, who grafted for four hours for his 82 out of Gloucestershire's 221, gave his side a chance in their second division clash with Northamptonshire.
Harry Conway took 3-42 to spearhead Northants' attack, but his fellow Aussie quick Gabe Bell then struck back for Gloucester, taking 2-42 as the Darren Lehmann-coached visitors, chasing 249 for victory, battled to 5-144 at the close.
Still needing another 105 on Monday, much will depend on Australian Test batter Nathan McSweeney, who's still going strong as Northants' top scorer on 41no, having already been at the crease for two-and-a-half hours.
