It is getting harder to make the Bryce Underwood experiment at Michigan look salvageable.
On Saturday, the former five-star prospect endured another rough outing in Michigan’s 20-14 loss at Minnesota, a defeat that dropped the Wolverines to 0-2 in Big Ten play and added fresh pressure to a season already going sideways. Underwood finished 10-of-21 for 101 yards with two interceptions, was sacked three times for 25 lost yards, and ran for 45 yards on seven carries. That works out to just 3.9 yards per dropback.
The game started with a little promise. Underwood hit six of his first seven throws.
Then everything unraveled. He went 4-of-14 the rest of the way, including back-to-back interceptions that stretched from the third quarter into the fourth.
The first came when Underwood sailed a throw too high, sending it straight to Minnesota sophomore defensive back Aydan West. On the very next Michigan snap, Underwood didn’t account for an unblocked defender, took the hit, and watched the pass trajectory get altered into another pick.
Michigan had another chance later in the quarter after moving the ball to the Minnesota 39-yard line. But on 3rd-and-9, Underwood hesitated once his first read was covered, got stuck in the pocket, and took a sack. That ended any realistic chance of setting up a fourth-down try or a long field goal to cut the margin to one score.
The Wolverines still had one more shot after the two-minute warning, but that possession only deepened the concern. Facing 4th-and-5 from midfield, Underwood badly overthrew his target and left wideout JJ Buchanan with no chance to make a play on the ball.
The broader picture is even uglier. Through five games, Michigan’s offense has been flat-out bad with Underwood at the controls.
The Wolverines have been held under 20 points four times. Their lone explosion came in a 52-point game against UTEP, a team ranked No. 134 out of 138 FBS programs in scoring defense.
Against power conference competition, the numbers are not helping his case. In three starts against those opponents, Underwood is 36-of-66 for 488 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.
Last month, head coach Kyle Whittingham made the situation sound very much like a quarterback on notice, saying Underwood was simply "our QB right now... At some point, we've got to turn a corner." (h/t ESPN)
Michigan is on a bye now, and the timing may be critical if the staff decides to make a change. The Wolverines still have four of their final seven games against Associated Press top 25 teams, which leaves little room for patience. If Underwood gets replaced, true freshman Tommy Carr, the grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, and redshirt senior transfer Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi look like the top options, and both would need as many first-team reps as possible.
Underwood is still young, but he should be much further along more than a year into his college career. Maybe he is just a slower developer.
In the NIL era, though, that buys less and less goodwill. The money gets bigger, and the patience gets smaller.
At this point, Michigan does not have the luxury of waiting. If Underwood cannot handle the job, the Wolverines have to find someone who can.
In Other News...
Jaylen Crocker-Johnson Thinks Minnesota Is Being Underrated For One Big Reason
Jaylen Crocker-Johnson sounded upbeat about Minnesotas outlook at the teams internal media day, and it is not hard to see why. The Gophers are bringing back three starters, have added new faces to the mix and are trying to build something that looks more stable than what the outside projections suggest. A preseason poll by the Columbus Dispatch had Minnesota slotted 13th in the 18-team Big Ten, a place that reflects plenty of skepticism before a game has been played.
Crocker-Johnson believes the Gophers are being overlooked for one big reason, and it is the kind of reason that could matter once the season gets rolling. Minnesotas roster is still waiting on a court decision involving Cade Tysons eligibility, so the final version of this team is not fully set yet. For a group trying to change the conversation around its 2026-27 outlook, that uncertainty leaves the story open-ended in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
P.J. Flecks Postgame Message Hit A Nerve For Gophers Fans
P.J. Fleck had plenty to celebrate after Minnesotas 20-14 win over Michigan, a result that delivered the Little Brown Jug and gave him the 100th victory of his head coaching career. For Gophers fans, it was the kind of day that felt bigger than the record book, especially with the trophy going home to Minnesota for only the fifth time in 49 tries.
Fleck spent his postgame message leaning into gratitude, stressing that every win deserves to be appreciated and every chance to celebrate should be embraced. He said that habit goes back to his first coaching victory in 2013, and it clearly resonated with a fan base that has waited a long time for moments like this, even if the larger season story is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]
Minnesota Just Gave Fans A Reason To Believe Again
The latest Big Ten weekend did plenty to shake up the league race, and Minnesota was one of the teams that came away with real momentum. With Penn State and Michigan taking surprising losses and USC handling Washington, the conference picture shifted again, but the Golden Gophers showing stood out in the updated power rankings conversation because it added to the sense that they belong in the mix rather than just watching it unfold from the side.
Minnesotas spot in the recap was part of a broader look at several teams that helped redefine the leagues pecking order, with Northwestern, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Nebraska also drawing notice for their performances. For Gophers fans, the encouraging part is not just the result itself but the way it fits into a week that left some of the conference heavyweights looking vulnerable, and that kind of opening is exactly what can keep a season interesting if Minnesota keeps taking advantage. [Read more 🡒]