Michigan’s quarterback situation has reached the point where every snap feels like a referendum on Bryce Underwood.
Five games into his second season, the former mega-recruit is staring at real pressure on his starting job after Michigan fell 20-14 to Minnesota and dropped to 0-2 in Big Ten play for the first time since Brady Hoke’s final season in 2014. Underwood’s afternoon was rough from start to finish: fewer than 50% completions, 101 passing yards, two interceptions and no touchdowns of any kind.
That kind of performance is hard to ignore, and Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham didn’t exactly rush to shut down the conversation after the game. Instead, he acknowledged that a quarterback switch had at least been part of the discussion.
"Well, you always want to think about what gives you the best chance to win throughout the entire course of the game," Whittingham said. "That's being evaluated for everybody at every position. We just felt that, as the game was progressing, that Bryce gave us the best chance to win."
That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement, and it fits the tone around Underwood since Whittingham took over. After Michigan’s opener against Western Michigan - a game that was shaky before a Hail Mary with one second left saved it - Whittingham called Underwood the quarterback "right now," a line that sparked plenty of noise at the time and looks even more loaded now.
The numbers against Power Four opponents tell the bigger story. In three such games, Underwood has completed 55% of his throws, averaged 162.7 passing yards per game and posted two touchdowns against three interceptions. Michigan has scored just 16.7 points per game in those contests.
So yes, the benching question is real. But the answer isn’t simple.
Michigan paid heavily to land Underwood, flipping him from a long-time LSU commitment, and there isn’t an obvious plug-and-play replacement sitting there. Senior Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi has the most experience of the alternatives, but his résumé comes with baggage.
He was a multi-year starter at Colorado State, yet turnovers defined his time there, including a nation-leading 16 interceptions in 2023. He was benched after three games for CSU last season, which naturally raises doubts about whether he’s the fix.
Then there’s freshman Tommy Carr, the four-star prospect who has drawn praise since arriving on campus. He’s also the brother of Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr and the grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr. Carr offers the most intriguing upside of the group, and the bye week gives Michigan time to get him ready if the staff decides to make a move.
Still, Underwood’s problems don’t exist in a vacuum. Michigan is struggling everywhere.
The Wolverines rank 14th in the Big Ten in yards per carry and entered the weekend 114th in penalty yardage gap. The receiver room is thin, with no one outside JJ Buchanan or Andrew Marsh having more than five catches.
Underwood himself is nearly Michigan’s leading rusher, which says plenty about how hard the offense has been to sustain.
The defense has held up its end more often than not, but the overall structure is shaky. Even cleaner quarterback play wouldn’t solve everything.
That’s why the benching debate has both sides. Underwood has had five games to show who he is, and the flaws are obvious - and costly. Michigan has a bye, which gives the staff a window to reset and see whether Carr can be brought along quickly.
But this is the kind of move a program only gets to make once. If Michigan is going to pull the trigger on Underwood, it needs to be certain.
In Other News...
Jordan Marshalls Frustration Says Everything About Michigan Right Now
Jordan Marshalls postgame frustration after Michigans loss to Minnesota said plenty about where the Wolverines are right now. The running back didnt sugarcoat the mess on the field, pointing to the mistakes and the lack of cohesion that have made this stretch so hard to watch, and he made it clear the team cant afford to keep drifting through games without sharper execution or better accountability.
Marshall also framed the upcoming bye week as a chance for the roster to look inward and tighten things up. He said the players need to own their part, get more connected and play with more purpose, while also expressing trust that the coaching staff can make the necessary adjustments. For a Michigan team searching for answers, that blend of frustration and faith may be the clearest sign of how much work still remains. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan's Offense Has A Bigger Problem Than Fans Wanted To Admit
Michigans 20-14 loss to Minnesota dropped the Wolverines to 3-2 and reopened a conversation the program would rather avoid this early in the season. The defense did enough to keep the game within reach, but the issues on the other side of the ball were harder to ignore, especially with head coach Kyle Whittinghams timeout management and offensive coordinator Jason Becks scheme drawing scrutiny as the night wore on.
Bryce Underwoods performance only sharpened the concern, with two interceptions and a few missed opportunities leaving Michigan stuck without enough answers when it mattered most. For a team trying to steady itself after another frustrating result, the bigger problem looks less like one bad evening and more like an offense that has yet to find a reliable identity. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Fans Have A Bigger Worry After Herbstreits Warning Sign
Kirk Herbstreit was the only College GameDay analyst to pick Minnesota over Michigan, and the call landed with extra weight because his son is playing quarterback for the Wolverines. The prediction ended up looking sharper than most expected, but for Michigan fans, the bigger concern was not one broadcasters take. It was the way the game exposed a team still searching for answers.
Coach Whittingham acknowledged the problems after the loss, pointing first to issues on defense and then to a longer list of deficiencies the staff is trying to clean up. He said the situation ranks among the biggest challenges of his career, a blunt assessment that matches the mood around the program. The warning sign now is less about one upset than about whether Michigan can fix enough before the season slips further from reach. [Read more 🡒]