Where would you go on your very first date for reality TV? For Alabama’s Jay Woods, the choice was clear: Braly Stadium in Florence.

Woods, 25, is a former football player for Florence High School, and the Falcons remain close to his heart. What better place for him to romance Grace Clark, a new woman in his life, and show her exactly who he is?

“Football really shaped me into the person that I am today,” Woods said on Thursday’s episode of “Farmer Wants a Wife.” “So I’m excited to kind of share my passion with Grace. Biggest thing I’m going to do is show her I’m super serious about finding love.”

Woods, a hay and cattle farmer from Florence, put his hometown in the spotlight during the hourlong program, taking viewers to his first field of dreams and then to his 15-acre property.

Five women appeared ready to settle down with him for several weeks, all vying for his affections and a chance at happily ever after. Woods, in turn, was tasked with charming them, entertaining them and evaluating them, in hopes of finding his future wife. Through it all, the cameras rolled.

READ: ‘Family, faith, football’: Alabama farmer seeks wife who appreciates all 3 on reality TV

If you missed Thursday’s program — or simply want a refresher on Woods and his TV quest for love — here’s what happened.

Repping Alabama: J’Marick “Jay” Woods grew up in a farming family in Lauderdale County. Football has been a big part of his life. (“If you’re not from Alabama, you’ve gotta know that football is king down here,” Woods said.) He played for Florence High School, the University of Michigan and Duke University before injuries compelled him to call it quits. When his NFL dreams were dashed, Woods moved back home and bought his grandfather’s land, which had been sold to others in the meantime. He now farms hay and cattle, and works as a sales rep.

Other farmers: Along with Woods, Season 3 of “Farmer Wants a Wife” focuses on Matt Warren, 30, an avocado and exotic fruit farmer from Morro Bay, California; John Sansone, 25, a soy, corn and wheat farmer from St. Louis, Missouri; and Colton Hendricks, 28, a cattle rancher and horse trainer in Mena, Arkansas.

How it works: Each farmer on the show has selected five women who are transported to his property for dates, chores and getting-to-know-you sessions. The field of contestants narrows through 12-14 episodes, with the goal of finding the perfect mates for the four farmers.

Fabulous five: Grace Clark, Julia Mya, Karina Sabol, T’yana Nolen and Viviane-Lee Reed were chosen by Woods during the season’s debut episode. He picked Clark for a crucial first date, which meant she got to spend 24 hours with him on the farm before the other women arrived. It’s a jealously guarded perk on “Farmer Wants a Wife,’ and typically inspires drama.

Quotable: “I got the animals, I got the land, I got the house,” Woods said. “So I’m excited to see how Grace fits in here.”

READ: Alabama man sizes up dating pool on ‘Farmer Wants a Wife’: ‘He’s hot, y’all’

Dating game: Woods and Clark, a nanny from Ellensburg, Wash., watched a football game from the stands (Go, Falcons!), then headed down to the field to sit on a blanket and chat. The two explored their feelings and discussed their thoughts on marriage and children — doing their best to “make a connection,” as the series likes to say. Their date seemed to go well; Woods and Clark were all smiles. Things got a little more chaotic, and a lot more competitive, when the other four women arrived at the farm.

What we learned about Jay: Did we mention that football is important to him? It’s a theme Woods returns to, again and again. “Football is my life. I thought that I was gonna be playing on Friday nights in the NFL,” Woods said. “I think that’s every kid’s dream. But when it didn’t work that way, I went through a pretty dark spot, you know, in my life. But my family really helped me get through it and now got my granddaddy’s house back. And I’m just looking for that special person to share that with me.” He gave Clark a jersey with his name and the number 1 on the back, saying “Number one on the field. Number one on my heart.”

Five for fighting: Woods’ time with Clark was sweet, but consider that the episode’s title is “We’re Coming to Date Our Man.” Competition was in the air, which resulted in flirting, sulking and worrying among the women, as soon as all five hit the farm. We’ve already had hints that T’yana Nolen and Julia Mya are poised for a clash, and Clark seemed a mite upset as the episode progressed, grimacing when she didn’t have Woods all to herself.

Green acres: “Farmer Wants a Wife” likes to emphasize the “fish out of water” angle, tossing city-raised women into rural situations that make them eek and shriek. It was no surprise, then, when the women met a few farm animals — several cows, a few chickens, at least one horse — and displayed varying reactions to their critter encounters. Karina Sabol took everything in stride, for example, apparently enjoying the down-home atmosphere. Julia Mya did not.

That’s a nope: “I am from Malibu, California, and I am a runway model,” said Mya, a self-described “princess.” “I was not put on this earth to lift hay and feed all the animals. … I think certain parts of the farm life are for me, and certain parts are not. (Throwing) the cow food, I feel surrounded and panicked.” Her allergies started acting up, and Mya complained about the Alabama weather. “So people actually come out here and work in this heat?” she said. “Do they have portable fans? This is exhausting.”

Red flag: “The biggest thing I’m looking for is just someone’s who able to stick this out for the long run, this farm life,” Woods said. “For Julia, based on what I see right now, I don’t think that the farm life is somewhere where she might thrive. I could be wrong, but it’s definitely a concern.”

Stay or go?: Woods had a decision to make at the end of the episode. He was instructed to give one woman the boot, if he felt there was absolutely no future for them. At a group dinner by candlelight, Woods revealed his verdict.

Eliminated: No one. Woods might have some reservations about Mya and her suitability for life on the farm, but he opted to maintain the status quo for another week. “I did a lot of thinking, it’s tough,” Woods said. “I would like for all of you to continue to be on the farm.”

Next up: On the April 3 episode, titled “Meet the Friends,” Woods recruits a few pals to offer first impressions on the women in his dating pool.

If you watch: New episodes of “Farmer Wants a Wife” air on Thursdays at 8 p.m. CT on FOX. Kimberly Williams-Paisley is the host of Season 3, which was filmed in advance.