Friday Night Lights Episode 1.20 Mud Bowl

As Tim wakes up in Jackie's bed and Julie worries about staying in Dillon, Coach Taylor discovers Jason working with Matt on a practice field in preparation for the State semifinals against the Vikings. When Coach finally arrives at school, he finds tacky preparations underway for the big game.

Coach Taylor's bad mood doesn't get any better when Matt tells him that someone left an envelope full of cash inside his locker. As they talk, there's an explosion outside and smoke fills the air.

Over breakfast, Joanne Street tells Jason that she doesn't expect much to come out of an upcoming settlement conference. They're distracted by a news story about a train derailment and chemical spill near the school. At the school itself, the principal sends everyone home. Coach Taylor, however, assures the football team that there will still be a practice.

Waverly strikes up a conversation with Lyla and takes her out to shoot at cans, which Lyla finds very therapeutic. In the local library, Landry sees Tyra struggling with Algebra homework and swoops in to offer her his services as a tutor in typical Landry fashion.

Coach assembles the team for practice at the elementary school and asks if anyone found money in his locker - no one raises his hand. Buddy and Mayor Rodell pull Taylor aside to tell him that there's no way they can have a home game on Friday because of the chemical spill.

Taylor tours a state-of-the-art football facility. But since it's closer to the Viking's hometown, he declines to use it, insisting that the game be played in Dillon. On the way back to town, Taylor tells Buddy about the cash gifts, but Buddy is evasive and changes the subject. When they make a rest stop at a cow pasture, Coach Taylor takes a long look at it and gets an idea.

Smash asks Lyla about hanging out with Waverly, and Lyla tells him about going shooting. Smash tells her that Waverly is bipolar and off her meds and should probably not be shooting guns. Meanwhile, Landry begins tutoring Tyra and they make plans to study Friday night.

Taylor drives his wife out to a Dillon cow pasture he thinks will make a great football field for Friday night. In this simple setting, they'd be able to strip away all the trappings and just focus on the game.

Lyla lets herself into Jason's house to find him watching TV. When she starts asking questions about their status as boyfriend and girlfriend, he snaps, "Get off my back!" It's not long before they're shouting at each other and Lyla slams her way from the house.

Work begins on constructing Coach Taylor's football field. When Buddy asks him why he's doing this, Taylor responds, "It's about playing football without all the other crap." Later, Landry gets a hair cut in preparation for his "date" with Tyra.

Waverly confronts Smash about telling Lyla that she is bipolar. Waverly breaks down in tears as Smash tells her he loves her but doesn't know how to help her. He suggests that she talk to his mom, who is a nurse.

Lawyers ruthlessly fight at the Street's settlement hearing. Jason finally snaps and suggests a compromise. He writes down a number, passes it along, everyone agrees, and they call it a night.

The game gets underway and the Vikings immediately score a touchdown. They soon score another two points and then rain starts pouring down, turning the field to mud. Right before the half, Smash carries the ball to a touchdown with a two-point conversion, closing the gap between the Panthers and the Vikings.

Landry's car breaks down, making him late for his study session with Tyra. At the diner, Tyra gets to work on her own. When Landry fails to show up, she heads back to her car where a man from the diner attacks her. She manages to fend him off with a truck's cigarette lighter... but only barely.

Landry finally arrives to find Tyra picking up her things in the rain. Through tears, she tells him what happened, and he does his best to console her.

With the rain still pouring, the mud sloshing all over the field, and only seconds on the clock, Matt makes a Herculean run to the goal line and scores... Panthers are going to state! Fans overrun the field in celebration as Waverly talks with Smash's mom and Coach Taylor offers Jason a coaching job.