The Panthers suffer a humiliating loss. Lyla tries to help Jason believe that he will walk again.

Coach Taylor makes a final decision about whether to take the job at Texas Methodist University, while Tyra's secret is revealed.

The Panthers gear up for the state championship, as the rumor about Coach Taylor spreads. Meanwhile, Tami receives some news.

Upon returning to Dillon, Tim finds his team locker empty, while Coach Taylor deals with Jason and offering him a coaching job, while, at the same time, dealing with his own job not paying as nearly much as what he was getting the previous year. Lila's friend from the boys' school shows up with her father in hopes of a tryout with the Panthers and Landry's father nears the truth about his role in a death.

As the athletic director, it falls to Coach Taylor to find a new girls' volleyball coach, and he stops at his own wife, who searches for her newest player. Jason takes a new job working for Buddy Garrity and Smash has some fallout of his own after getting arrested. Tim's given a few days to give back the money he stole while he still makes a play for Lyla.

Jason and Tim come up with an idea that will, hopefully, get them out of their financial woes, but Buddy stands in the way. Tyra's budding romance continues to bloom, while Julie shows 'signs' of rebellion. Coach Taylor's new idea to his quarterback situation only ends up in disarray and pressure from his coaching staff.

Buddy tries to use Tim to get to Lyla, who's still mad about losing her college fund to a business deal and it gets worse when she finds she's been accepted by the college she's always dreamed of. Buddy also enlists the power of the Dillon Panthers boosters in order to re-draft the line proposed by the school district when a new East Dillon High School is proposed. Landry and Tyra bond over Tyra's sister's wedding, while J.D. and his father don't exactly see eye to eye over the girl in J.D.'s life

The Taylors are faced with a decision that could end what is already a fragile friendship with the McCoys. Lyla informs her father of her alternate decision after her chances of attending her dream college have fallen through, Landry tries to help Tyra with her college essay, and Matt has dreams of attaining some kind of post-high school education.

Coach Taylor is faced with building a football program from the ground up after the redistricting splits Dillon into two high-school districts. East Dillon is without funds, without a qualified coaching staff and without talent after the gerrymandering that was done by the Dillon Panther Boosters. Meanwhile Tim Riggins gives up on college and returns to Dillon only to find that you can't always go home again. Matt Saracen & Julie struggle with their roles in football crazed Dillon, now that Matt is no longer on the team.

Following an opening night forfeit, Coach Taylor struggles to regain the support of his new team. Coach & Mrs Taylor weather a maelstrom when the star running back of the Dillon Panthers is outed as an East Dillon resident. Tim Riggins struggles to find a new living arrangement. Matt struggles with an internship with an abrasive local artist. Landry runs into an interesting girl at his new school.

Just as the East Dillon Lions start to perform as a team, the town of Dillon is rocked with the news of the death of Matt's dad. Coach & Mrs Taylor and Julie all do their part to help Matt weather the storm. Landry & Riggins & the rest all rally to help as well but ultimately Matt must make peace with his dad on his own. Meanwhile Becky connects with Luke after he's been paint-balled by some of his former friends and the two finally...

The final game of the regular season has the East Dillon Lions slated to host the Dillon Panthers in what is sure to be the mother of all cross town rivalries. When the Panther boosters question the fitness of the East Dillon field it quickly escalates from toothpick pranks to torn up turf. Meanwhile the pro-life witch-hunt to get Tammy terminated for counseling the pregnant Becky escalates. Adding to the chaos, Mindy goes into labor, Billy goes on a caffeine bender, and soon after the boy is born, Uncle Tim gets arrested when the cops bust the chop shop. Meanwhile Vince is reeling from the shooting death of his childhood friend and the gang that he's been running with want him in on getting vengeance.

Jess confides to Landry that she has feelings for Vince. Thanksgiving arrives, the day before the big game finds the Taylors playing host to an extended family dinner. The Riggins are there including the newest Riggins. Matt's back from Chicago. Buddy is bringing his own turkey to deep fry. Then on Friday, The lions meet the Panthers on the Panther's home field but they're a tougher team than anticipated. It all comes down to Landry can he make a 45 yard field goal and win the game?

Julie Taylor prepares to go away to college. Mrs. Taylor digs into her new job as the guidance counselor at East Dillon and Coach Taylor poaches a basketball player for his team as the East Dillon Lions prepare for a pre-season game against the Croft Cowboys, last year's Texas State champs.

Julie starts her college classes and meets an interesting teaching assistant. Tammy Taylor has trouble fitting in with the East Dillon teaching staff. Luke Cafferty's tackle from the last game is questioned. Coach Taylor finds that he's now on the outside and set a new goal. Jess and Vince hit a bump in their relationship.

Vince's dad gets out on parole. A video of Maura drunk at the party with several Lions team members gets posted on the Internet. Mrs Taylor tries to take corrective action during school hours and Coach Taylor tries to get the team members back on track. Meanwhile Julie's flirtation with her history TA gets more serious.

Becky's dad returns to town, Buddy Jr. comes to stay with his dad, and Vince confronts his father about the drugs in his past. Meanwhile, Jess and Vince squabble about her being the team's equipment manager. Luke gets an invite to visit TMU and bring a few friends.

The East Dillon Lions face the South Kingdom Rangers, the team to whom they forfeited at the beginning of last season. Coach tries to steer the team away from talk of revenge but when the game gets rough and the officiating lopsided, coach reconsiders. Meanwhile Tami bonds with one of the East Dillon teachers in a girl's night in and Julie's relationship with her TA hits a snag. Following the game, Hasting finds an outlaw white-lightning party in the otherwise dry town and bolstered by hooch, talk of college recruitment, and brotherhood the Lions go a bit overboard with the male bonding.

Rather than return to college where she's been humiliated, Julie wrecks her car. As the truth comes out, Coach Taylor is thrown, so much so that he leaves a practice early. Meanwhile Vince's past friend is pressuring him to repay the money that he borrowed. Luke reacts badly to the information that TMU recruiters were using him to get to Vince. Billy Riggins gets to step up for a locker-room speech when Coach is late. Vinces dad steps in to help out his son and Mindy tells Becky that she needs to get laid to get her mind off Tim Riggins and even suggests the farm-boy to do it with.

It's cross-town rivalry week again in Dillon and things get heated when an anti-Lion website appears highlighting the boys' juvenile records. Coach Taylor is concerned when Vince's dad gets more involved in his college recruitment prospects. Billy Riggins works privately with Luke and gets him pumped up for the game but gives him one or two pieces of bad advice. Meanwhile Julie is still hiding out at home and Tami goes up to her school to collect her schoolwork.

Between a potential head coaching position at a Florida College, Julie's continuing stay at home, the team's growing disharmony over Vince's show-boat behavior and the interference of Vince's Dad, Coach Taylor has a rough week. Becky enters a pageant with the support of the Landing Strip girls and begins to question her decisions. Julie's T.A. Derek shows up in Dillon. Tami Taylor learns that not everything Epyck tells her is reliable.

Following a contentious loss, Coach Taylor decides to bench Vince for a game and start Luke at QB. Becky and Luke try to start their relationship over but the Seniors recognition night scheduled for Friday's game makes that difficult. Julie continues her hiatus from school and visits Matt in Chicago. Epyck crosses a line during a tutoring session with Mrs. Taylor.

Coach's offer from a Florida college becomes public knowledge. Tim Riggins parole hearing date approaches and Billy asks Coach Taylor to be a character witness. Luke considers what comes after high school if he gets no scholarship offers. Vince tries to get back in coach's good graces after last week's benching but his dad makes it difficult.

The East Dillon Lion's march toward State continues amid Coach Taylor & Principal Burnwell's concerns about impending budget cuts. Tami gets an opportunity to interview with the admissions department of a prestigious Pennsylvania university. Tim Riggins finds acclimating to the busy Riggins' household difficult following his release on parole. Vince and his mom are worried as Vince's dad seems to be returning to his old ways.

The school board considers eliminating a football program to meet budget cuts, making Dillon a one team town again. Meanwhile Tami considers a job offer that Coach Taylor is eager to dismiss. Tyra returns to town and questions Tim about his plan to leave Texas. The Panthers boosters approach Buddy. Luke confronts Tim about his relationship with Becky. Following an abortive open school-board hearing, Vince and Jess try to plead the Lions' case directly with the chairman of the school-board.

With the decision to close the East Dillon Football program speculation runs wild on two fronts. Will the Lions be able to win State and go out in a blaze of glory; and will Coach Taylor agree to return to coach the Dillion Panthers and a super team with the best of both schools? Tami's PA job offer adds conflict in the Taylor home as does a new development with Matt & Julie. Meanwhile Tim Riggins and Tyra talk seriously about their futures and Luke & Becky clear the air.