Michigan enters 2025 season as strong contender for College Football Playoff

As of this writing, all signs point to true freshman Bryce Underwood as Michigan's starting quarterback when the Wolverines open their season later this month. Despite being just 17, Underwood already has the build of an NFL player. He's got a strong arm, can hurt a defense with his legs, and a high football IQ. Underwood was also able to gain valuable reps during the spring as veteran transfer Mikey Keene rehabbed from injury. Offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey described Underwood as a relentless worker—the first to arrive and the last to leave—as well as being a film junkie.

Last season, Michigan struggled mightily at the QB position, rotating through three different starters. This year, that instability shouldn't be an issue. In addition to Underwood, head coach Sherrone Moore added two experienced transfer QBs: Mikey Keene (Fresno State) and Jake Garcia (ECU).

Michigan's offense also struggled in other ways beyond the QB throughout 2024, lacking any sense of explosiveness. To fix that, Moore hired veteran OC Chip Lindsey from North Carolina. Lindsey has a proven track record of building productive offenses, and his experience should help elevate the Michigan offense significantly in 2025.

Defensively, Michigan continues to reload. Though stars like Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, and Will Johnson are gone to the NFL, there's plenty of talent remaining in Ann Arbor. The defensive line features guys like Derrick Moore, TJ Guy, Rayshaun Benny, Trey Williams, and Cam Brandt. At linebacker, veterans Earnest Hausmann and Jaishawn Barham return. While the secondary has some question marks, players like Jyaire Hill, Zeke Berry, and Rod Moore (when healthy) provide a solid foundation.

Taking all of that into account, Michigan's No. 14 ranking feels justified—and the Wolverines are well-positioned to make a serious playoff push this fall if everything goes according to plan.