A determined Cass Worthington defies her grandfather, town patriarch Randolph C. Worthington III. She falls in love with football star Rod Miller who lives in a poor, mixed-race neighborhood on the other side of the tracks. But the football team becomes the glue holding the divided town together after court-mandated integration of Bois D'Arc High School. An injury ends Rod's highly touted future in college and professional football. With his future in doubt, Rod breaks up with Cass and joins the Air Force. His intelligence-gathering aircraft is shot down by Russian jet fighters over Soviet Armenia and held prisoner. A daring commando team sent by his friend and father figure Jack Workman rescues Rod and brings him home to work as Jack's protEgE at RJ Systems.

Dumped by Rod, Cass traps wealthy college student Roger Helms into marriage on the rebound. It spirals out of control when he proves abusive and unfaithful. Rod's return complicates matters in the blue blood society of Bois D'Arc.