Belford College benefactor Howard Smith (Grant Mitchell) and Coach Eversmith (Joe Sawyer) enlist talented football player and convicted thief Tommy Cherub Burke (Eddie Quillan) to play for the school. Burke sees this opportunity as a get out of jail free card that also comes with a campus full of suckers. But Coach Eversmith wasn't born yesterday: He's already lined up pretty coed and policeman's daughter Jane Thurston (Betty Furness) to help keep Burke on the straight and narrow. Before he can lead Belford to a championship win against State, however, Burke makes all the wrong choices, endangering his relationship with Jane, the football championship and his freedom.