Michigan Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood pulled off a miracle Saturday night against Western Michigan. Fans know the story by now. Underwood threw a Hail Mary pass out of bounds that seemed to give WMU the upset win, only for the officials to put one second back on the clock. The next pass was on target and won the game.
Underwood’s final line was a dismal 12/22 for 170 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. The touchdown, and 47 of the 170 yards, came on the final play of the game.
Head coach Kyle Whittingham spoke with the media Monday and shared some surprising comments on his quarterback. He said Underwood is the starter “for now,” and that it’s not something that’s “infinite.” That is not exactly a ringing endorsement ahead of a crucial showdown against Oklahoma.
So who could Whittingham go to if he did want to move on from Underwood?
Breaking Down Michigan’s QB Depth Chart
Tommy Carr won the backup quarterback job over Colorado State transfer Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi. Carr is the younger brother of Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr and the grandson of former Wolverines head coach Lloyd Carr.
He is a true freshman but clearly showed enough to be placed in the backup role right behind Underwood.
Fowler-Nicolosi remains as a third option and someone who has starting experience. He was a two-year starter at Colorado State and opened 2025 as the starter before leaving the program early in the season.
But Carr is next in line and was potentially expecting some snaps in Saturday’s season opener against Western Michigan before the game turned out to be much closer than expected.
Bryce Underwood’s Job in Question
The questions surrounding Underwood began to arise last season when he did not live up to his major expectations. He finished the year with 2,428 passing yards and only 11 touchdowns, compared to nine interceptions. He did, however, add six rushing touchdowns.
The concerns came about in Michigan’s two biggest games of the 2025 season. Underwood struggled mightily against Oklahoma, going 9/24 for 142 yards and no touchdowns. That is the same Sooners team Michigan will play this upcoming Saturday.
But the most concerning of all was how he played against Ohio State in the regular-season finale. Michigan entered ranked No. 15 overall and Underwood looked lost throughout. The weather was not ideal, but Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin still found success. Underwood went 8/18 in the game for 63 yards and an interception.
Saturday’s thriller against Western Michigan was an absolute dud for the quarterback and his team until the final play. That raised plenty of questions about Underwood both by the fans and his head coach. If he can’t perform well against a MAC team, how will he do against much tougher opponents?
That is a question on Michigan fans’ minds as Oklahoma looks to take down the Wolverines once again.
Michigan QB Depth Chart: Who is Bryce Underwood’s Backup?