Mike arrives at Memorial Stadium, where he would play against the Carter Cowboys, and reminisces about a childhood trip there with his brother Joe Bill. While Mike had an excellent season, he did not attract interest from college recruiters due to his smaller size. Walking through Memorial Stadium on game day, he worries that the wet weather will prevent him from playing well in the semifinal.

Before the game, the high tension between the teams is evident, as the Carter Team taunts the Pepettes, who had been escorted to the game by the police after receiving threats. Permian fans vastly outnumber Carter supporters in the stadium, and the Permian team is convinced that they will win. Both teams struggle to move the ball in the wet weather at the beginning of the game, and neither team can easily outwit the other. The teams are neck and neck throughout the game as the weather worsens. Both teams are “fidgety, nervous, rattled” (348), but the Permian Panthers players are competently defending against the considerably larger Carter players.

Amid the account of the game, there is a discussion of the various fans who are closely watching the game from the stands or listening on the radio from afar, including familiar characters such as Boobie and Sharon.