Michigan got the win, but Bryce Underwood’s afternoon left plenty to chew on.
The quarterback opened fast against Western Michigan, hitting all five of his throws on Michigan’s first possession for 61 yards before finishing the drive himself with a QB sneak that put the Wolverines ahead 7-0. After that, though, the offense stalled hard. Underwood and Michigan went quiet for long stretches until the final snap of the game, when a 47-yard Hail Mary from Underwood to JJ Buchanan delivered a 13-12 victory.
The box score of the finish can’t hide how rough the middle of the game was. Underwood threw an interception at the end of the half that gave Western Michigan three points, then coughed up a fumble with two minutes left in the fourth quarter that led to three more. He also forced a few other throws into traffic and was lucky to walk away with only two turnovers.
After the game, Underwood admitted he “had a few” mistakes “that could have cost” Michigan the game.
Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham didn’t sugarcoat the performance either, calling it “not outstanding.” At the same time, he pushed back on the idea that the game should be laid at Underwood’s feet.
“I’m not saying that Bryce played a bad game. This isn’t on Bryce Underwood.
It’s on me,” Whittingham said. “And I’ve got to figure out a way to have these guys better prepared and be able to get into a rhythm offensively.
It’s like we never got into a rhythm after that first drive. We always found a way to screw it up.
We were like 0-of-5 or 0-of-6 before we converted a third down, I believe. And you just can’t win football games like that.
We were very fortunate to win, obviously.”
Whittingham also pointed to the work Underwood has done since camp began, saying the quarterback “improved dramatically” during fall camp. But Saturday looked a lot closer to the uneven version of Underwood Michigan has seen so far: shaky footwork, inconsistent mechanics, and a quarterback who either presses throws or hesitates too long.
Whittingham said he doesn’t spend much time talking directly to Underwood during games. That role belongs mostly to offensive coordinator Jason Beck and quarterbacks coach Koy Detmer Jr., the two voices Underwood hears most often throughout the week.
“Leave that to Jason Beck and Koy Detmer, the voice he hears all week long,” Whittingham said. “And anything from me is just to say, ‘Hey, hang in there, keep competing. You’re our guy,’ and just vote some confidence.”
In Other News...
Clemson Loss Put Fans In The Middle Of An Ugly Postgame Debate
The aftermath of LSUs win over Clemson did not stay on the field for long. Once the game ended, a video of Lane Kiffin shoving a college student began making the rounds online, adding a jarring postgame footnote to a night that was supposed to be remembered for the Tigers result and the energy around it.
It also landed in the middle of a broader conversation about what happens when crowds spill into the field and emotions boil over. A separate scene from the Border War between Wyoming and Colorado State showed a Wyoming player shoving a Colorado State fan as the field was rushed, and both clips have kept the debate going well beyond the final whistle about where celebration ends and conduct becomes a problem. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Just Got Caught In College Footballs Eligibility Chaos
A Baton Rouge judge was weighing whether two former NFL players should be cleared to play for LSU this fall, a reminder of just how tangled college footballs eligibility rules have become. For a program like LSU, where every roster move is scrutinized and every available player matters, the case lands in the middle of a broader fight over who gets to decide when an athlete is eligible, how transfers are handled and what standards still apply in a sport that keeps changing underneath itself.
That backdrop is what has helped push the issue to Capitol Hill, where Sen. Ted Cruz has been promoting the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act. The proposal is designed to set federal standards for eligibility, name, image and likeness rules and transfers, while giving the NCAA limited antitrust protection so it can enforce those rules with more authority. A Senate vote is expected between Sept. 15 and 23, and for LSU and everyone else trying to navigate the uncertainty, the question is whether lawmakers can bring some order to a system that keeps ending up in court. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Clemson Statement Just Sparked A Bigger Early Season Question
LSUs season-opening win over Clemson did more than announce the Tigers as an early national force. It also turned into a showcase for the kind of balance Brian Kelly wants from this team, with the SEC handing out a cluster of weekly honors after the 51-10 rout. Quarterback Sam Leavitt was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week, offensive tackle Jordan Seaton picked up SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week and defensive end Jordan Ross earned SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week.
For LSU, the recognition is a useful snapshot of where the program stands after one weekend, even if it also raises the next question the Tigers will have to answer: whether that performance was a one-night burst or the start of something more sustainable. Clemson was a statement opponent, and LSUs response was emphatic on both sides of the ball. The challenge now is carrying that standard into the grind that follows, because early awards are nice, but they only matter if they reflect what this team can keep doing. [Read more 🡒]