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Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. (97) sacks Michigan Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) in the second half of the NCAA football game at Michigan Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. USA TODAY Sports

Michigan Has a Bryce Underwood Problem

Originally posted on Mike Farrell Sports
By Mark Pszonak | Last updated Jan 2, 2026 9:34 AM ET

Expectations are immense when you’re a five-star recruit who is given a $10M deal before playing a college game. That was the situation for Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood, and because of this scenario, many fans have become a bit anxious regarding his future.

This was magnified during the sample size everyone witnessed on New Year’s Eve against Texas. There were moments when Underwood looked like a future NFL first round selection and then there were others when he looked like an undrafted free agent.

This is what Michigan has dealt with throughout the 2025 season. Blame can easily be put on the coaching and playcalling, as often it looked as though Underwood was playing handcuffed, but that can only go so far when he is also consistently overthrowing or underthrowing wide open receivers.

And as usually is the case, Underwood’s most recent performances are what will stick in fans’ memories the longest. Unfortunately, those performances against Ohio State and Texas saw Underwood complete 31 of 60 passes for 262 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions.

For most true freshman quarterbacks, all of this would just be part of the learning process. But when a school decides to give a player $10M before playing a game, fans want and expect that learning process to expedite quickly. Instead, Underwood’s last two games of the 2025 season point in a different direction.

Underwood will be the quarterback for Michigan in 2026. There is no reason to waste any time debating that. And he should be, as he has shown enough in 2025 to showcase his potential. But what happens if it becomes quickly obvious next season that Underwood has not improved?

The season opener against Western Michigan won’t move the needle, but the game against Oklahoma on September 12^th definitely could. If Underwood has a performance anywhere close to what he did against the Sooners this season, when he completed 9 of 24 passes for 142 yards, his honeymoon period will officially be over and the pressure will exponentially mount.

Oklahoma’s Sammy Omosigho (7) and Jayden Jackson (65) sack Michigan’s Bryce Underwood (19) in the second half of the college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooner and the University of Michigan Wolverines at the Gaylord Family Ð Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025.

This is something that new head coach Kyle Whittingham and offensive coordinator Jason Beck will have to deal with. The duo did a very good job improving Devon Dampier’s productivity during his one season at Utah after his transfer from New Mexico. A season after throwing 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions with the Lobos, Dampier finished the 2025 season at Utah with 24 touchdowns and five interceptions. This is the type of improvement that everyone needs to see from Underwood, who passed for 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions this season.

Considering the chaos that Michigan fans had to endure for a few weeks after the Sherrone Moore firing, they should celebrate the hiring of Whittingham. However, no matter how improved the roster is after the transfer portal frenzy slows, the lingering questions throughout the offseason will revolve around Underwood.

This is what Michigan signed up for when they gave him the $10M contract and now they have to live with it.

This article first appeared on Mike Farrell Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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