Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) throws at warm up before the spring game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 19, 2025. Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Where CBS Sports ranks Bryce Underwood among nation's best QBs heading into 2025 season

Originally posted on Michigan Wolverines on SI
By Seth Berry | Last updated Aug 28, 2025 10:00 AM ET

Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore officially named true freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood the Wolverines' starter for the team's Week 1 game against New Mexico on Aug. 30 under the lights at the Big House. As Underwood and the team gets prepared for the Lobos, CBS Sports writer David Cobb ranked what he believes to be the top-50 players at the position in college football currently.

Ranked college football's top 50 QBs heading into Week 1 for @CBSSportsCFB.

1. Cade Klubnik
50. Aidan Chiles

Full 1-50: https://t.co/1tzciBY14A pic.twitter.com/cKayV1mJAD
— David Cobb (@DavidWCobb) August 27, 2025

Cobb ranked Underwood at No. 35 in the country and behind nine other QBs in the Big Ten conference. When explaining his ranking for Underwood, Cobb wrote:

"Recent history suggests that expectations for true freshman quarterbacks should be tempered, regardless of how highly touted they were as prospects. Michigan's strength remains its defense, so it would be a surprise if the Wolverines ask too much of Underwood out of the gate. But his long-term potential is unlimited."

Big Ten QBs Cobb ranked ahead of Underwood include:

3. Drew Allar (Penn State)

5. Julian Sayin (Ohio State)

11. Nico Iamaleva (UCLA)

14. Demond Williams (Washington)

15. Jayden Maiava (USC)

25. Luke Altmyer (Illinois)

26. Fernando Mendoza (Indiana)

28. Dylan Raiola (Nebraska)

31. Dante Moore (Oregon)

Other Big Ten QBs to crack Cobb's top-50 list include Iowa's Mark Gronowski at No. 42, and Michigan State's Aidan Chiles at No. 50.

The college football world will see how Underwood reacts to his first college football test on Saturday night. Then, in Week 2, the lights will be shining even brighter on the Michigan freshman as the Wolverines travel to Oklahoma for a night game on Sept. 6 against the Sooners in an early season showdown.