John Randall is an Army cadet at West Point. His younger brother Paul is a midshipman at the Naval Academy. John contrives to help Paul's timid romantic interest in Nancy Wayne by pretending to be interested in her himself. Paul, however, takes offense, and determines to beat his brother in the Army-Navy football game on purely personal grounds. Meanwhile, Paul and fellow midshipman Albert Price are hazed and tormented by upperclassmen.

The traditional service rivalry between West Point and Annapolis is typified by two patriarchs, Major General Somers and Rear Admiral Randall, who happen to be the grandfathers of the Randall boys: John, a cadet and ballplayer for the Army, and Paul, who is on his way to the Naval Academy. He arrives at Annapolis and falls prey to the traditional hazing and then some. Midshipman Albert Edward Price adds to his misery, subjecting him to the rigors of initiation, and Paul despondently leaves school, but his desertion is reversed by the pleadings of Helen Chandler, his sweetheart. At the pre-game dance, John pays court to Helen in order to spur his brother to a greater appreciation, and the trickery works only too well; Paul is inspired to get into the game and scores the tying touchdown.