5 months ago
- Wolverines
- Updated: Jan. 01, 2026, 6:16 a.m.
- Published: Jan. 01, 2026, 6:15 a.m.
ORLANDO, Fla. — How did Michigan shot travel up Bryce Underwood’s worst capacity of nan play against Ohio State?
By throwing nan shot connected Wednesday. A lot.
The freshman backmost group play highs successful nan Wolverines’ 41-27 nonaccomplishment to Texas successful nan Citrus Bowl, for completions (23), attempts (42) and carries (14), arsenic nan short-handed unit tried to fto Underwood loose.
One problem: That other state afforded by interim caput coach Biff Poggi and impermanent play caller Steve Casula resulted successful a fewer excessively galore turnovers, pinch Underwood finishing conscionable 23 of 42 for 199 yards, 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. He besides ran for 77 yards and a touchdown, showcasing his 6-foot-4, 228-pound framework and explosive nature.
“He’s a awesome kid pinch a immense upside,” Poggi said afterward. “He’s a existent freshman starting successful an elite convention and playing successful a vessel crippled against an SEC shot squad that was preseason classed No. 1.”
Despite nan turnovers, 2 of them astatine inopportune times, Poggi thought Underwood had a “great game; he conscionable made a fewer bad decisions astatine nan end.”
The first interception came pinch 2:50 near successful nan 3rd 4th and Michigan driving astatine nan Texas 25-yard line. Underwood intended to spell heavy near to receiver Donaven McCulley down nan sideline, only to person nan propulsion travel up short and intercepted. While Longhorns weren’t capable to make Michigan may, nan turnover costs nan Wolverines points.
The 4th fourth is erstwhile problem really started to brew. After Texas scored to erase Michigan’s lead for good, Underwood faced third-and-8 astatine nan Wolverines’ 38-yard statement and tried forcing a propulsion to backup tight Deakon Tonielli that was picked disconnected successful traffic. One play later, Texas backmost Arch Manning collapsed free for a 60-yard, game-sealing touchdown.
“He’ll learn,” Poggi said. “These are only learning things for him. So overmuch of playing backmost is experiential. You person to acquisition it. He’s a competitor; he astir apt would for illustration a mates of those throws back.”
Turnovers person piled up for Underwood, a erstwhile five-star enlistee who spurned LSU for Michigan and a large payday. He threw interceptions connected back-to-back drives against Northwestern connected Nov. 15 that almost costs Michigan nan game, and threw an interception successful nan nonaccomplishment to Ohio State.
In fact, Underwood accounted for 8 turnovers successful Michigan’s last 5 games compared to conscionable 3 turnovers successful nan first 5 games.
“He’s astir apt a small down correct now, but I deliberation nan champion point for him would beryllium to get backmost to activity arsenic quickly arsenic possible,” Poggi said. “It’s important to retrieve he’s conscionable a freshman.”
His inferior counterpart Manning looked overmuch much polished connected nan Texas side, completing 21 of 34 passes for 221 yards and 2 touchdowns while rushing for 155 yards and 2 touchdowns. Manning besides dealt pinch a number of drops from his receivers, keeping his stat statement from looking moreover much impressive.
“Remember, this is Year 1 for Bryce,” Poggi said. “Arch is an exceptional player. He made immoderate throws coming that I thought were like, ‘wow.’ And one had nary thought — erstwhile you look astatine him connected nan field, he’s large and beardown — but I had nary thought he was arsenic diversion arsenic he is.”
Underwood is, too, but will request much polishing nether caller Michigan caput coach Kyle Whittingham. The 66-year-old erstwhile Utah caput man is still moving to build retired his coaching staff, a captious first measurement successful convincing immoderate of nan team’s apical playmakers for illustration Underwood to instrumentality around.
The ceiling is still precocious for Underwood, whose large limb and diversion traits make him an appealing prospect. There’s a logic Whittingham went and said to him first upon arriving successful Orlando.
Even Texas coach Steve Sarkisian sees it, telling reporters this week astatine nan Citrus Bowl that winning 9 games arsenic a freshman backmost astatine nan Big Ten level is nary easy feat.
“Maybe astatine different levels it is simply a small easier, but astatine nan level that we compete at, arsenic a existent freshman, and do it a precocious level, that is really difficult to do,” Sarkisian said. “I get it. There’s going to beryllium immoderate adversity on nan measurement passim a play arsenic a true-freshman quarterback, but nan stick-to-it-ness for him (is key).
“(He’s) evidently a very gifted, very talented young man.”
- Biff Poggi plans Michigan departure pinch Whittingham group to return over
- Overheard extracurricular nan Michigan locker room: ‘I don’t cognize if it’s goodbye aliases spot ya later’
- What’s being said nationally aft Michigan falls to Texas successful Citrus Bowl
- Observations: Michigan’s Underwood outdueled by Texas’ Manning
- Turnovers punishment Michigan shot successful Citrus Bowl nonaccomplishment to Texas
Aaron McMann is nan main hit writer covering nan University of Michigan shot programme for MLive Media Group, wherever he's worked since 2014. He went from covering precocious schoolhouse sports successful nan Flint area to a...
