Michigan fans won’t have to wait long for a read on Bryce Underwood’s progress.
The Wolverines enter the season with plenty of questions tied to their sophomore quarterback, and the first real answer could come fast. Underwood already guided Michigan to a 9-4 record in 2025, but the season didn’t exactly match the hype that came with being the No. 1 overall player in the 2025 class. He wasn’t a disaster as a freshman, just not the finished product people expected.
Underwood also stood by the things he said before the 2025 season, saying he didn’t regret them. Kyle Whittingham backed that kind of confidence at Big Ten Media Days and said he believes Underwood will be a successful Michigan quarterback.
Now the pressure shifts to production. Michigan has a schedule loaded with major tests, including home games against Penn State, Iowa, Indiana, and Oklahoma, plus road trips to Ohio State and Oregon. If the Wolverines are going to win more games, Underwood has to be better.
That process may get judged early, because Oklahoma is waiting in Week 2. Brent Venables completely took Underwood out of rhythm last time around.
Underwood finished just 9 of 24 for 142 yards, a 37 percent completion rate, with no interceptions. He did hit a couple of explosive throws, but he also ran three times for minus-1 yard.
It was a strong day for Venables, who has built a reputation as one of the best defensive coaches in the sport. And that’s why this matchup matters so much: Michigan and everyone else around college football won’t need long to see whether Underwood and the offense have truly taken a step.
One game won’t settle everything. Offenses can change quickly from week to week. But if Underwood is again under 40 percent as a passer, the reaction will be immediate and understandable.
The run game should look different this time, too. Against Oklahoma, Underwood basically wasn’t asked to be a designed runner. There may have been a few zone-read looks, but that wasn’t a major part of the plan.
That changes this season. Whittingham said fans should expect Underwood to be used more like Devon Dampier, who had 146 rushing attempts last season. Underwood had 88.
Michigan will likely need at least 20 points to beat Oklahoma and other top opponents on the schedule. Last season, the Wolverines had trouble clearing that number in their toughest games. If that happens again in Week 2 and Underwood struggles, it will say plenty about what kind of season is ahead for Michigan’s quarterback.
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The early results have been hard to miss. Before fall camp even opened, 97% of the players had posted personal bests in the major lifts, a strong sign that the bodywork is already changing the feel of the roster. For Michigan, the bigger question now is how that newly built strength translates once the games start, when the physical demands get real and every week feels like a test. [Read more 🡒]