Michigan QB battle: College GameDay debates pros, cons of starting Bryce Underwood as freshman

Really, there is only one storyline for Michigan during fall camp. Sherrone Moore has yet to name a starting quarterback, and a lot of eyeballs are looking at freshman Bryce Underwood. Everyone, even ESPN’s Rece Davis, wants to know if the freshman has enough to eventually earn the title ahead of the Aug. 30’s opener against New Mexico.

“A lot thrown at him early in the spring and maybe didn’t run away with everything,” Davis said via the ESPN College GameDay Podcast. “Might it take Bryce Underwood a little bit of time to establish himself as the starter?”

Pete Thamel wonders the same thing, noting how strange of a situation Michigan is currently in. Underwood is joined by two transfers the program brought in this offseason, Jake Garcia and Mikey Keene. The Wolverines still have Davis Warren around as well, giving them somebody who actually has Big Ten experience.

“It’s definitely one of the stranger quarterback battles, maybe, that we’re going to have,” Thamel said. “All signs point to Bryce Underwood eventually… The history of winning the way Michigan wants to win with a true freshman quarterback — there’s limited there. Bryce Underwood is a rare talent and he could be ready for the moment.”

Underwood played high school football at Belleville (MI), where he was a Five-Star Plus+ prospect. He was the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2025 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

The talent is undeniable when it comes to Underwood. As Thamel mentioned, it’s more about fitting into the system and making sure the freshman can help Michigan win within their own style.

He also casted doubt on some of the pieces surrounding Underwood. While every quarterback will have the same guys out there, Thamel does not believe Big Ten opponents will walk into games against Michigan nervous about skill positions.

“I don’t think Michigan’s receiving core really has anyone in the Big Ten shaking their boots,” Thamel said. ” … There is just a lot of unknown there.”

For now, all we can do with the Michigan quarterback battle is hurry up and wait. Preseason camp is set to begin in early August as the countdown for Week 1 is officially on. Moore will have a ton of questions to answer about the quarterback position.

Surely, similar pros and cons will be weighed inside the building. But one thing is for certain — the hype for Underwood inside the fan base is only growing by the day.