In the football locker room afterward, Vice Admiral Walter "Ted" Carter made an announcement that was just as stunning as Navy's upset of sixth-ranked Houston.
"By the grace of God, we are not having class on Tuesday," Navy linebacker Micah Thomas said when asked what the Naval Academy superintendent told the team. "The locker room erupted."
It was an unexpected reward in the wake of one of the greatest upsets in Navy football history. Quarterback Will Worth directed an impressive offensive performance while linebacker Josiah Powell led a big-play defensive effort as the Midshipmen put an emphatic end to the national championship dreams of the Cougars.