Expanding on the hit feature film “Friday Night Lights,” this poignant series centers on the small rural town of Dillon, Texas, where the coveted state football championship rings are held in the highest regard. Dillon’s promising high school team, its star quarterback, and newly appointed head coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler, “King Kong,” “Grey’s Anatomy”) feel the mounting pressure of the town’s pride and honor riding on their shoulders as a new football season kicks off.

The fresh cast also includes: Scott Porter (“All My Children”) as team captain and first-string quarterback Jason Street; Gaius Charles (“Book of Daniel”) as feared running back Brian “Smash” Williams; Taylor Kitsch (“Kyle XY”) as running back Tim Riggins; Connie Britton (“The Brothers McMullen,” “24”) as Taylor’s supportive wife, Tami; Zach Gilford (“The Last Winter”) as third-string quarterback Matt Saracen, and Minka Kelly (“What I Like About You”) as Lyla Garrity, Panther cheerleader and Street’s girlfriend.

Also starring are: Aimee Teegarden (“Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide”) as Coach Taylor’s daughter, Julie; Adrianne Palicki (“South Beach”) as Tyra Collette, and Jesse Plemons (“Grey’s Anatomy”) as Landry Clarke.

Executive-produced by Peter Berg (the film “Friday Night Lights,” “The Rundown”) who also wrote and directed the pilot, Jason Katims (“Roswell”), Brian Grazer (“The Da Vinci Code,” “Cinderella Man,” “A Beautiful Mind”), David Nevins (“Arrested Development”) and Sarah Aubrey (“Bad Santa,” “The Kingdom”). “Friday Night Lights” is a production of Imagine Entertainment, NBC Universal Television Studio and Film 44.