Rick Neuheisel isn’t ready to write off Michigan after the Wolverines’ messy Week 1.
While plenty of observers are leaning Oklahoma’s way ahead of the Week 2 matchup, the former UCLA coach turned analyst is taking the opposite side. Neuheisel believes Michigan can walk into this one, clean up the mistakes, and leave with an upset win over the No. 11 Sooners.
“Michigan has too much pride in their program to not go back to work this week and try to do everything they can to fix what's broken,” said Neuheisel. “Unfortunately, their quarterback situation is one that is not going to be consistent until more time goes by and they arrive on the perfect formula for run/pass with Bryce Underwood.
A new coordinator there, watching him play under the lights for the first time now has some idea. And that's going to be the key.”
Michigan’s opener did little to calm the nerves. The offense managed only 276 total yards and coughed up three turnovers, and quarterback Bryce Underwood is still searching for the kind of steady production the Wolverines need from him. New offensive coordinator Jason Beck has work to do, but Neuheisel’s read is that the defense can carry the day if it shows up at a high level.
“Their defense is going to have to play lights out, taking Mateer's legs away, although they were not on display in Week 1,” said Neuheisel. And then you're going to have to make sure Bryce Underwood is not putting the team in harm's way, meaning using his legs before his feet. I think it's a 13-7 Michigan win.”
The matchup also comes with some recent history. Last season, as a five-point home favorite, No.
18 Oklahoma beat No. 15 Michigan 24-13.
John Mateer was a big part of that result, throwing for 270 yards and running for 74 more.
Mateer’s season-opening performance against UTEP was far quieter. He ran just three times for seven yards, a notable shift from the early-season form he showed a year ago before an injury limited him the rest of the way.
Underwood has already had his own struggles against Oklahoma. In that meeting a season ago, he went 9 for 24 for 142 yards and added just three carries for minus-1 yard. Through this stage of his college career, the highly touted sophomore has 12 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions.
With the turnover issues hanging over Michigan, the Wolverines will need to protect the ball. Neuheisel still thinks their defense can tilt the game enough to make his prediction come true.
In Other News...
Oklahoma Faces One Big O-Line Concern Going Into Michigan
Oklahomas offensive line left the season opener with more questions than answers, even before the Sooners got a full read on how the group will hold up against a far stiffer test. Starter Jake Maikkula and Ryan Fodje were already sidelined, and Michael Fasusi left early with a shoulder injury, forcing the staff to piece together protection on the fly while the offense worked through the game.
There is at least some optimism going into Week 2, with Maikkula and Fodje expected back for Michigan. Fasusi is the name to watch, though, because his status is still uncertain and that leaves one important spot in limbo as Oklahoma prepares for a defense that will make any weakness up front hard to hide. Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle sounded confident the unit can adjust, but the Sooners would clearly prefer to arrive in Ann Arbor with the line closer to full strength. [Read more 🡒]
Brent Venables Defends What Makes Oklahoma Different From Everyone Else
Scheduling elite nonconference games has become part of the Oklahoma identity, and Brent Venables made it clear he does not see that as a coincidence. With the Sooners fresh off a matchup with Michigan, the head coach pointed to the value of opening the season against top programs, saying those games help prepare his team while also giving recruits a clear picture of the standard in Norman.
Venables also acknowledged the college football landscape could eventually make those kinds of matchups less common if playoff structures change. Even so, he framed them as a differentiator for Oklahoma, one of the few programs willing to test itself early against the sports best and live with the results because of what it means long term. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahomas New Portal Defenders Could Spark A Real 2026 Debate
Oklahoma kept working the transfer portal for defense, and the latest wave of additions has a distinctly future-facing feel. The Sooners brought in defensive tackles Danny Saili and Braxton Fely, linebacker Jaydon Southard and cornerback DYoni Hill, all players who could become part of the conversation for the 2026 roster as the staff keeps building out depth and competition on that side of the ball.
What makes the group more intriguing is the timing. Because of a temporary restraining order, the four newcomers are eligible to play in 2026, giving Oklahoma a chance to evaluate how their previous experience translates once they arrive in Norman. For a defense that always has spots to win and roles to settle, these are the kinds of portal moves that can quietly shape a depth chart long before the season actually gets here. [Read more 🡒]