The third episode of Chad Powers, titled “3rd Quarter,” delivers the big sports moment fans have been waiting for. The episode focuses almost entirely on the South Georgia Catfish’s season-opening game against Ole Miss, where the team’s new backup quarterback, Chad Powers, and the offensive assistant coach, Ricky Hudson, find themselves sidelined but not out of the game. Their partnership becomes the key to a stunning comeback victory.
The episode, which aired on October 7, 2025, on Hulu, is a turning point for the series. It moves the story from setup to action, showing how the disguised Russ Holliday gets his first real chance to play and prove he still has what it takes. The win is not just about football; it is about redemption for Chad and validation for Ricky, whose football knowledge has been overlooked by her father, Coach Jake Hudson.
The Setup: A Losing Game and Sideline Struggles
The episode begins with the Catfish losing badly to Ole Miss. Chad, as the backup quarterback, is not playing and is instead given humiliating tasks like holding a cup for a teammate to urinate into. Similarly, Ricky is frustrated on the sidelines, her strategic suggestions ignored by the coaching staff. She tries to convince her father to put Chad in the game, but Coach Hudson refuses and eventually banishes her from the sideline altogether.
This shared experience of being undervalued creates a bond between Chad and Ricky. They start talking about plays and how to beat the Ole Miss defense. In one conversation, they connect over past failures—Chad’s made-up backstory and Ricky’s own failed career as a track athlete ended by injury. Their partnership shows how two talented people can achieve more together, even when no one is listening to them.
The Turning Point: An Injury and a Big Opportunity
The game changes when the Catfish’s starting quarterback, Gerry, is injured. While running out of bounds, he is accidentally tripped by the team’s mascot, Danny, who is secretly helping Chad. With no other options, Coach Hudson is forced to put Chad into the game. The pressure is on, and the Catfish’s chances of winning seem slim.
At first, Chad follows Coach Hudson’s strict game plan. While his natural skill makes the plays work better than they did for Gerry, it is still not enough to secure a win. With the clock running down and the team’s defeat seeming certain, Chad makes a bold decision. He decides to ignore the coach’s call and run one of Ricky’s plays—a strategy she had designed but that had been rejected.
The Winning Play: A Miracle on the Field
Chad’s gamble pays off perfectly. He executes Ricky’s play, throwing a precision pass that lands in the end zone for a game-winning touchdown. The play not only wins the game for the Catfish but also proves that Ricky’s football knowledge is valuable. Her father and the other coaches are forced to acknowledge that her strategy worked where theirs had failed.
The moment is a personal victory for both characters. For Chad, it is a step toward redeeming his past failures as Russ Holliday. In a funny moment after scoring, he holds onto the football like a baby, refusing to let the referee take it, a callback to his infamous fumble in the Rose Bowl that ended his original career. For Ricky, the win is a triumph, proving that she belongs in football and deserves to be heard.
A Surprise Cameo from Eli Manning
The episode features a special cameo from Eli Manning, the former NFL quarterback whose viral sketch originally inspired the show. Manning appears as the coach of the opposing Ole Miss team, his real-life alma mater. After Chad’s game-winning play, the camera cuts to a furious Manning on the sidelines, who yells, “Who the f— is that guy?!”
The cameo is a fun nod to the show’s origins. Manning is also an executive producer on the series, and in real life, he once joked about star and co-creator Glen Powell’s football skills. In an interview, Manning said, “I thought he got better. We all saw him in Top Gun throwing—not his best performance. I was a little concerned when I saw that.”
Chad and Ricky’s Growing Connection
A significant part of the episode is the developing relationship between Chad and Ricky. After the game, while the rest of the team celebrates on the field, Chad immediately goes to find Ricky in the locker room to share the moment with her. This act shows that he recognizes her crucial role in the victory and that he values their partnership.
However, this growing connection also creates a big risk for Russ. The closer Chad gets to Ricky, the harder it will be to maintain his disguise. She is bonding with “Chad,” a persona he invented, and has no idea she is actually talking to Russ Holliday, a disgraced former quarterback. The episode sets up a future conflict where the truth could ruin everything he is trying to rebuild.
What the Win Means for the Catfish
The victory against Ole Miss is more than just one win for the South Georgia Catfish; it signals a potential new beginning for the struggling team. It introduces Chad Powers as a real player to be reckoned with and forces the coaches to see Ricky Hudson in a new light. The team, the boosters, and the fans finally have a reason to be excited about football again.
The episode ends on a high note but with a clear warning. Russ Holliday’s secret is still safe, but his success as Chad Powers is putting him in the spotlight. The more he succeeds, the more people will want to know who he really is, and the harder it will be to keep his past hidden.
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