Michigan came out of the bye week looking worse than they did before it, and a lot of that came from the quarterback play of Bryce Underwood. There was hope that with two weeks to regroup, the Wolverines would be able to fix the offensive issues, but typically, having your starting quarterback at practice tends to be helpful.
That's right, Underwood was not in Ann Arbor for the entire bye week while Michigan was getting some much-needed work in on the offense. Instead, Underwood jetted out to California to work with his private quarterback coach, and clearly it didn't do much to help his game.
CBS Sideline Reporter:
— Ryan Ermanni (@ErmanniMedia) October 17, 2026
“Bryce Underwood spent the week in California with his private quarterback coach”
That is the most 2026 College Football statement of all-time.
In what world are we living in?
Underwood came out flat and simply looked worse than he did the first five games of the season. Head coach Kyle Whittingham spoke about the importance of taking care of the football during the bye week, but Underwood must not have gotten the memo, since he wasn't even with the team the entire time.
Maybe if Underwood had spent that time with his team, he could have looked better and not gotten benched against Penn State. After two interceptions in the first half and just five completions on 11 attempts, Whittingham made the massive move to bench Underwood in favor of freshman backup QB Tommy Carr, who willed Michigan to the win over the Nittany Lions.
Bryce Underwood's time in Michigan could be over after quarterback change
After the game, Whittingham wouldn't commit to who the starting quarterback would be going forward, but if you ask me, he would be crazy to go back to Underwood. Now, Carr didn't come out and totally light up the stat sheet, but there was a spark he created with the offense that also carried over to the defense.
Carr's ability to throw the ball and take shots down the field forced Penn State to respect the pass, opening up the run game. After just 37 rushing yards in the first half, Michigan had 175 rushing yards in the second half, so yeah, Carr's passing threat allowed the run game to get going.
Whittingham is right; it is hard to make a final decision on a change right now, but the proof is in the pudding. When Underwood was in the game, Michigan struggled to move the ball down the field, and turnovers were a big problem.
When Carr was in, there was a sense of confidence in the offense, and the Wolverines were able to score three touchdowns in the second half and even break the 20-point ceiling Michigan has struggled to get past in each game except against UTEP.
Even though Whittingham said there is no decision on who the starter will be going forward, it isn't hard to believe that Underwood could have taken his final snaps as the starter for Michigan against Penn State. Maybe next time he will rethink taking a trip to California during a bye week and actually get some work in with his team, but I guess that is what you can do when you make $3 million a year.
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