Kirk Herbstreit: Bryce Underwood faces true test against Oklahoma in Week 2 after impressive debut

Kirk Herbstreit was impressed with Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood’s performance in Week 1. However, Oklahoma will present a whole different challenge for him in Week 2.

Ahead of Saturday’s edition of ESPN’s College GameDay, Herbstreit joined SportsCenter to voice some concern about Underwood against the Sooners in Norman: “I think the big story of this game is the crowd and having a young freshman quarterback.

“We know how great and talented he is, but we’ve seen a lot of true freshman quarterbacks — guys who eventually became first-round picks — struggle the first time they go on the road. It’s just different,” Herbstreit stated. “He looked fantastic last week against New Mexico. Couldn’t have looked any better. But we know this is going to be a different animal.

“Not only is it a defense that’s retooled and ready to have a great year, but Brent Venables — a defensive specialist, now the head coach, calling the plays — has had an entire offseason to prepare for a young quarterback. If you watched Michigan’s first game, I don’t think Bryce Underwood could have looked any more in command or poised.

“It wasn’t just the quick release and strong arm — it was his command of Chip Lindsey’s offense. He really seemed to have it. But when you go on the road, the whole operation is different. How Michigan navigates that will be interesting, and I think it’s going to be a huge part of the storyline in deciding who wins this game.”

Herbstreit’s concerns about Underwood make a ton of sense, but it creates an interesting dynamic, as a more seasoned signal-caller for Oklahoma in John Mateer will oppose the Michigan quarterback. The ESPN analyst believes the Sooners star will show the world his immense potential in Week 2.

“This guy has a true gunslinger mentality, like Baker Mayfield — a guy who’s always going to play with a chip on his shoulder. That’s just how he plays,” Herbstreit added. “What I love about his game is his ability to create. He can throw comfortably from the pocket, but he can also open it up and make plays on the move. So, how Michigan contains him is another big storyline in this game.

“But what’s interesting is what Brent Venables did: he not only brought in John Mateer, but he also hired Ben Arbuckle — who’s 29 years old — as the offensive coordinator, coming with him from Washington State. So now, the coordinator and quarterback are together in Norman. And this is the first true test to see how far this offense has really come with John Mateer running the show.”

Whoever gets the win in Week 2 will notch a huge victory for their resume moving forward. Mateer and Underwood will have a lot to do with the game either way, and Herbstreit will be watching to see which one leads their team to a win in Norman, Oklahoma.