Hold That Co-ed 1938

Former star quarterback Rusty Stevens [George Murphy] believes he is stepping into a lucrative role as Clayton University’s new football coach, but discovers the job is actually with the rundown State College in the same town. Gov. Gabby Harrigan [John Barrymore], who is running for the U.S. Senate, has slashed State College’s budget so severely that the school only owns one football. The governor’s opponent in the Senate campaign, Maj. Hubert Breckenridge [George Barbier], capitalizes politically on Harrigan’s unpopularity at the college. Harrigan’s bright secretary Marjorie Blake [Marjorie Weaver] persuades the governor to retaliate by raising funds for State College and proposing to build it a 100,000-seat stadium (to be named after him). She also recruits new players for State College including a couple of tough wrestlers, promising them government jobs and $500 a game. State College begins winning game after game. As a publicity stunt, the team even features college football’s first woman, co-ed Lizzie Olsen [Joan Davis], becoming the team’s kicker. Harrigan publicly dares mighty Clayton to a game, challenging his adversary by vowing to quit the Senate race if State loses the game. Breckenridge has no choice but to accept. All is well until Rusty reveals the unethical payment to players. A depleted State College squad is overmatched during the game, but with the score 7–6 in Clayton’s favor, on the last play of the game Lizzie snatches a batted-down pass in mid-air and crosses the goal line for a game-winning touchdown for State College.