Bakke left Denver to enroll at the United States Naval Academy in 1948.[9] He played for the Navy Midshipmen football team in 1949 and after the season was selected team captain for 1950.[10] His selection as captain was noted as unusual due to it being only his junior year there, although he was ineligible for his senior season due to his playing for Denver.[10] He was injured early in the 1950 season but was able to return for the annual Army–Navy Game.[11] Army had an undefeated record, was a 21-point favorite, and had defeated Navy 38–0 the prior year, but Bakke led his team to a stunning 14–2 win in what is considered one of the greatest upsets in college football history.[11][12] He afterwards played in the Mahi Shrine Temple Christmas College All-Star Game.[11]
Bakke served in the United States Air Force following his graduation from Navy.[1] He was a jet fighter pilot toured Alaska for several years, helping coach the football team at Ladd Air Force Base from 1954 to 1955.[13] He later served as the end coach of the Air Force Falcons.[13] He married Jean Marshall in 1953 and had four children with her; she died after giving birth to the fourth in 1960.[14][15] Bakke died in December 1964, at the age of 38, after getting into a plane crash in Florida.[16]
