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Underwood Unleashed: Michigan’s Risky Playoff Bet

Originally posted on Mike Farrell Sports
By Michael Germanese | Last updated Sep 18, 2025 10:45 AM ET

Michigan chose risk over caution by unleashing freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood and letting the offense open up, but did the Wolverines do it one game too early? The 2025 season is just three games in and can be described in many ways already—from frustrating and annoying to exciting and anticipatory. And Michigan’s game against Nebraska (3-0) will be filled with the same emotions depending on how the game goes. And for No. 21 Michigan (2-1), it’s simple: win or the season is already over before the calendar turns to October.

“Victors valiant champions of the west”—words that ring out from Michigan Stadium to bars and households when the Wolverines play. And that should be the standard for Michigan every year. The goal is simply to win the Big Ten and make the College Football Playoff. If they don’t, the season is a failure. Can Underwood, the freshman phenom, lead the Wolverines to victory or will the moment prove to be too much for the young QB?

Michigan’s season through three games has been “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” but fans have gone through a number of emotions, going from overjoyed after New Mexico (2-1) to disappointed after the loss to No. 11 Oklahoma (3-0) to encouraged after Central Michigan (1-2). Now it’s up to Chip Lindsey and Underwood to shine again in Michigan’s second chance of the season because if they don’t, Sherrone Moore’s seat could become very warm heading into 2026.

Handcuffs Off

Michigan went to Norman, Okla. and lost 24-13, but the game was never really that close. Underwood looked average at best, going 9-of-24 for 124 yards. Michigan decided to take the air out of the ball, electing to protect Underwood rather than let him play—a decision that cost the Wolverines. The loss has put Michigan in a situation with very little room for error.

The Oklahoma game proved Michigan had a decision: take the risk and let Underwood be the playmaker he is or use caution and face another 8-5 season. Michigan decided to risk it and opened up the offense against Central Michigan. Opening up the offense allowed Underwood to have the freedom to make plays. Underwood took full advantage of the freedom and put up 63 points with more than 600 yards of total offense. Michigan’s offense finally looked the part and how fans pictured it with Underwood under center.

It’s easy to let Underwood play his game when everything is going right. Will Michigan continue to open the offense up when Underwood makes freshman mistakes that put the team in tough situations to overcome? It’s one thing to get away with mistakes against a less talented team. It’s another when playing teams that have the same or more talent than yours.

Too Much Too Early

Michigan’s offense against Oklahoma looked more like the frustrating offense in 2024 than the one hyped up this past offseason, something no one in Ann Arbor wanted. It was apparent that if Michigan didn’t use Underwood’s talents, it was going to be a long year for the Wolverines. Moore, about to face an eight-day suspension, made the decision to unleash the freshman and see what he could do. Moore did it despite saying early in the lead-up to the CMU game that if you’re going to run the QB, you better have two.

The decision paid off, and Underwood showed just what he could do, throwing for 235 yards and a TD while adding 114 yards on the ground and two touchdowns. It was the first game Michigan used designed QB runs, making Underwood’s playmaking ability very apparent.

But did Michigan made a mistake by opening up the offense against CMU? You have to show your cards when they are worth it, and it wasn’t worth it against CMU. Michigan could have played the same vanilla offense and won the game. Instead, they opened it up and, by doing so, put every defensive coordinator in the conference on notice of Underwood’s playmaking ability with his feet.

Michigan heads to Lincoln, Neb. after showing its cards the week earlier, giving Nebraska’s DC John Butler the film and time to implement a plan to stop it. After Michigan failed to open the offense up against Oklahoma, they should never have opened it up against CMU. Michigan should have waited for Nebraska to open the offense up for the first time. Opening it up in Nebraska rather than CMU would force Butler to figure out how to stop it on the fly.

Michigan and Nebraska will square off at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sept. 20 on CBS, and for both programs, it’s a defining moment for the 2025 season. Michigan needs the win to keep its playoff hopes alive and prove they’re not another 8-5, 9-4 team. For Nebraska, it will put them back in the national conversations as possibly a CFP team. And for Matt Rhule, the win would be a talking point that he has the program headed in the right direction.

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

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