Kyle Whittingham finally pulled the trigger, naming Bryce Underwood the starting quarterback for Michigan against the Penn State Nittany Lions, with offensive coordinator Jason Beck continuing to call plays. This decision has sent shockwaves through the Wolverines fanbase, who are already convinced their 2026 college football season is cooked. Forget any hope of Tommy Carr getting his shot, it’s Underwood’s show, and frankly, a lot of people in Ann Arbor are not happy about it.
The Numbers Don’t Lie, But Whittingham Isn’t Budging
Let’s be real, Underwood’s stats this season haven’t exactly been lighting up the scoreboard. In five games, the guy has completed only 59.3% of his passes for 881 yards, five touchdowns, and four interceptions. Yeah, he’s got some wheels, adding 212 rushing yards on 57 carries with two more scores, averaging 3.7 yards a pop. But when your team is sitting at 3-2 overall and a rough 0-2 in the Big Ten, those passing numbers are just not cutting it. Remember that gut-wrenching 20-19 loss to Iowa on the final play back in September? Whittingham was right there next to Underwood, feeling that pain, and yet, he’s doubling down. When asked about the call, Whittingham was blunt: “Jason will call plays and Bryce is our guy, and we’ll move forward.” Simple as that. Even with Carr, the grandson of a Michigan legend, getting a solid half of the first-team reps during their open week, Whittingham is sticking to his guy. Carr’s only game action this year was a couple of completed passes in a blowout win over UTEP, so the competition was definitely real, but the outcome? Still the same.
Is a $3 Million Deal Keeping Carr on the Sidelines?
Michigan fans are sounding off, and a lot of them are pointing to one massive elephant in the room: Bryce Underwood’s On3 NIL valuation for 2026 is a cool $3 million. Seriously? Fans are absolutely furious, convinced that this historic NIL deal is the *only* reason Whittingham is keeping Underwood on the field despite the team’s struggles. It’s tough to argue with them when the team’s record is what it is, and the QB’s performance hasn’t been stellar. The sentiment around Ann Arbor is that the season is already circling the drain, and sticking with Underwood out of the bye week just confirms their fears. It’s a rough spot to be in when your fanbase thinks you’re making decisions based on dollar signs instead of on-field production.
So, here we go. Michigan and Penn State kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET this Saturday on CBS. If Underwood struggles again against the Nittany Lions, expect the heat on Whittingham about the quarterback position to crank up to eleven. This weekend is massive.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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