A Texas staple, football is more than a sport to the community. From Whataburger Wildkat First downs to the Wildkat Band, there’s a lot of things to miss about football season. The first football scrimmage is just around the corner, but if you’re having some Friday Night Lights blues, here’s a few touchdown movies you can watch in the meantime. 

The Blind Side is an inspirational and uplifting movie that will definitely get you in the mood for cold nights and hot chocolate at Yates Stadium. A true story based on Michael Oher and how his life changed for the better at 16 years old when the Touhys took him in as their own and helped him pursue football.

The Game Plan is a light and funny movie that will have you rolling over in your seats with laughter. It’s about a star football player that finds out he’s the father of an eight-year-old girl from his ex-wife and how he deals with the struggles of being a parent while juggling all his previous football engagements. The new pair have some ups and downs, but in the end they come out with an amazing relationship.

Watching a football classic like Rudy is the perfect way to get hyped up for the season. It’s about a freshman in college that goes to a small catholic school connected to Notre Dame. He dreams of playing football for the Fighting Irish but he doesn’t have the money or the grades to get into Notre Dame. He works as hard as he can for the first couple years of his college career, raising his grades and continually applying for scholarships, trying to achieve his goals. 

If you’re in a bingeing mood, the show Friday Night Lights will be the perfect way to spend the evenings until the next night back at the Home of the Wildkats. The small town of Dillion, Texas’ football team receives a new coach, Eric Taylor and fans are skeptical of his abilities. The team also  faces a loss when the star quarterback gets into an accident, and they have to bring up a sophomore to fill his spot. Both coach and team now have to take on the task of finding a way to come together and lead each other to a victory.

Greater is a deep and emotional football movie that can make you feel joy and empathy. Another true story, this movie displays the struggles that Brandon Burlsworth went through at the University of Arkansas. His dream was to play Division 1 football, specifically at this school but he didn’t make the cut at first due to his weight. One of the coaches partners with him to help him lose weight and gain strength, and he never stops pursuing his dream.

Pop some pop corn, make some nachos and get ready for some action under the lights. Until the real thing, these movies will be the next best thing.