Indiana football heads to Michigan on Saturday, and the biggest issue in Ann Arbor isn’t hard to spot: the Wolverines still don’t have clean answers at quarterback.
Michigan entered the season expecting Bryce Underwood to hold the job. He came in as a former five-star recruit and the No. 1 overall player in his class by 247 Sports, and the Wolverines were widely reported to have spent several millions to keep him.
But the early returns have been rough, and his numbers tell the story. Against Western Michigan, Underwood completed 12 of 22 passes for 172 yards with one touchdown and one interception, finishing below 55% completions in a losing effort.
That performance was shaky enough that Kyle Whittingham had to publicly say Underwood would not be losing his job that quickly.
Michigan got a win over Oklahoma next, but that result looks less convincing with each passing week. Underwood has already thrown six interceptions on the year, which ties him with Rutgers’ Dylan Lonergan and Maryland’s Malik Washington. The Sooners’ John Mateer is one of just five power conference quarterbacks with more interceptions than Underwood, and Lonergan and Washington also have more touchdown passes.
That spiral helped lead to a switch at halftime against Penn State, with Michigan trailing 3-0. Whittingham turned to freshman Tommy Carr, and the Wolverines came back to win 21-18 after scoring three second-half touchdowns.
Carr didn’t light up the stat sheet. He went 5-for-7 for 47 yards and no touchdowns, so it would be a stretch to pin the win on his arm. Michigan’s rushing attack did the heavy lifting, and Bryson Kuzdzal’s 43-yard run was the play that got the Wolverines on the board.
Carr does bring pedigree, though. He’s a true freshman and the younger brother of Notre Dame’s CJ Carr, with real promise as a quarterback prospect. He just isn’t the big-ticket centerpiece Michigan started the season with.
Underwood, meanwhile, has regressed in nearly every category from last season except yards per completion. That has put Michigan in a familiar bind: either adjust the offense to fit him, or move on. The reports suggest Whittingham has already chosen the latter, with Carr expected to start against Indiana.
Even so, Underwood can’t be dismissed. He has the tools to hurt a defense as both a passer and a runner, and that kind of dual-threat ability is the sort of thing that’s given Bryant Haines trouble over the last few years. Whittingham has used two quarterbacks before, so a return to that approach isn’t out of the question.
Either way, Indiana should be ready for a run-heavy game. Michigan will lean on the ground attack, and both quarterbacks can add yardage with their legs - Carr as a passer who can scramble, Underwood as a scramble threat who still demands attention.
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Indiana Heads To Michigan With An Edge Fans Will Notice
A healthy roster has become one of Indianas quieter advantages heading into Saturdays trip to Michigan. While the Wolverines are juggling a long availability report that includes seven players out and seven more questionable, the Hoosiers arrive with no one listed as unavailable and a roster that looks close to full strength. Even better for Indiana, running back Khobie Martin is expected back after his injury, which gives the Hoosiers another option as they prepare for a Noon ET kickoff on FOX.
In a Big Ten game like this, that kind of stability can matter just as much as scheme or momentum. Michigan will still have plenty of talent on the field, but the uncertainty surrounding so many names on its report adds another layer to a matchup that already carries real weight. Indiana does not have to navigate the same injury concerns, and that edge could be one fans notice once the game starts to unfold. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Just Raised The Pressure On Two Big Ten Powers
Curt Cignettis start at Indiana has done more than change the mood around Bloomington. It has also sharpened the spotlight on two Big Ten heavyweights now dealing with the awkward reality that rapid turnaround is possible, and that patience is getting thinner in a conference where every stumble gets magnified. With UCLA also in the mix of coaching change and roster upheaval, the leagues latest wave of rebuilding has only made Indianas jump forward look more striking.
For Michigan and Penn State, that comparison is the uncomfortable part. New coaches Kyle Whittingham and Matt Campbell inherit the same modern pressures every program now faces, from the transfer portal to NIL, but Indianas rise under Cignetti is a reminder that excuses do not last long when results start showing elsewhere. The Hoosiers have effectively raised the standard in the room, and that puts even more pressure on the established powers to prove they can keep pace. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Faces A Make-Or-Break Test As Passing Game Draws Focus
Indiana heads into its upcoming Big Ten matchup with Michigan carrying more than just the usual conference pressure, because the passing game has become a major point of attention. Josh Hoover remains central to what the Hoosiers want to do offensively, and freshman Tommy Carr is part of the conversation as Indiana looks for answers against a Michigan defense that has earned its reputation for being difficult to move the ball against.
The matchup feels like a revealing one for Indiana because recent struggles have sharpened the focus on how the offense responds when the margin for error shrinks. Michigans defensive strength presents a tough test for the Hoosiers, and the way Indiana handles that challenge could say plenty about where the passing game stands right now, even before any final result comes into view. [Read more 🡒]