After all the talk, after all the doubt, and after all the hate, Michigan pulled off what many didn't believe was possible. It still wasn't very pretty, but the Wolverines pulled off the unthinkable 17-10 upset over No. 11 Oklahoma, one week after barely beating Western Michigan.
Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham asked a lot from his team after the Western Michigan disaster, but their response was going to be key in getting a win. Michigan could have curled up into a ball and listened to the noise, or tuned it out and shown who they really are. Now, it wasn't perfect, but Whitttingham said it perfectly: they got the job done.
"They did more," Whittingham said. "Great effort, team effort, but still have a lot of things to clean up. Way too many penalties...but very proud of the way they responded after the performance last week, that was great to see. They worked hard all week in practice, and it showed out there today."
Talk about a bounce-back performance from @UMichFootball 〽️@JennyTaft caught up with HC Kyle Whittingham after a big win against No. 11 Oklahoma pic.twitter.com/FK99lBvVUc
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 12, 2026
Bryce Underwood and Michigan answered the call vs. No. 11 Oklahoma
Whittingham put the entire team on notice, but especially his quarterback, Bryce Underwood. The former five-star No. 1 overall recruit did not play like the star everyone expects him to be, even seeming to prove his haters right.
It still wasn't a perfect outing for Underwood vs. Oklahoma, but he protected the football and ran the offense well enough to come out on top. Clearly, there are still some things to work out with freshman running back Savion Hiter, who played a larger role against the Sooners, when it comes to handoffs, but it is early in the season.
The entire week, everyone in the media came down on the Wolverines, saying they didn't deserve the win, they looked awful, and all the hype was wrong. While some of that was right and Michigan didn't look good against Western Michigan, they answered the bell against Oklahoma, a game they needed.
Underwood needed to prove himself, especially after Whittingham said his position wasn't safe. It seemed to be the push the young gunslinger needed, and he showed improvement today. Underwood showed better decision-making, which Whittingham commented on before halftime, and used his legs a lot more, and even had some great passes at the right time.
Now, it is on to UTEP, the final non-conference game for the Wolverines before heading into Big Ten play. Michigan can't afford to overlook UTEP like it seemed to overlook Western Michigan. The schedule ahead of the Wolveirnes isn't an easy one, but they got their first big test out of the way, getting a massive win over Oklahoma.
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