Michigan football winners, losers vs Northwestern: Bryce Underwood's roller coaster day
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CHICAGO − Here are the Michigan football players who helped or hurt their stock in the Wolverines’ 24-22 victory over Northwestern on Saturday, Nov. 15, at Wrigley Field.
Winners
WR Andrew Marsh
Marsh had the best game from a true freshman receiver perhaps in program history with 12 catches for 189 yards, both the most for a freshman wideout since at least 1979. He had 10 catches of 10 yards or more, and converted nine first downs. Three plays stood above the rest: a 32-yard grab in the first quarter on a wheel route from the backfield; another 32-yarder on a go ball to set up the game’s first score; most importantly, a 21-yard snag on the winning drive when he dove along the left sideline and dragged his toe in bounds on third-and-10.
Bryce Underwood with a DIME to Marsh 🎯@UMichFootballpic.twitter.com/FtMrHRvUKN
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 15, 2025
RB Jordan Marshall
Prior to his injury in the fourth quarter, he ran 19 times for 142 yards — his fourth consecutive game of more than 100 yards — for two touchdowns on 1-yard runs. He also had a massive 65-yard carry in the third quarter which set up a rushing score for Bryce Underwood on the next play.
QB Bryce Underwood
The game started wonderfully for Underwood. He completed his first nine pass attempts and had more than 100 yards before the end of the first quarter. Two quarters later, he was 18-for-24 passing for 237 yards and a rushing touchdown. Underwood passed for a career-high 280 yards, and helped guide the winning drive after committing three consecutive turnovers. A good learning experience in a win.
Losers
QB Bryce Underwood
The fourth quarter was inexplicable. He was 3-for-8 passing in the fourth for 43 yards and had two interceptions, both over the middle of the field. The first was on third down when he forced a pass to Deakon Tonielli. The second came on second-and-4 in Northwestern territory when he locked onto Donaven McCulley and never saw the linebacker underneath. On fourth down trailing 22-21 and near the red zone, he never completed the handoff to the running back.
WR Semaj Morgan
It’s hard to ignore Morgan’s brutal stretch. The junior receiver was on the field on 17 pass plays – less than half the amount of Marsh and McCulley, fewer than Tonielli and the same as tight end Marlin Klein – and had just one target with no catches. His gaffe came on special teams on his one punt return, fumbling in U-M’s own territory. He was replaced by Marsh (one return for 12 yards).
Everyone: Ball security
It was not only Morgan who failed to protect the ball. The Wolverines had five turnovers, the most in any game since committing five in an Outback Bowl loss to South Carolina on Jan. 1, 2018, and the most in a win since a victory over Purdue in 2010. In addition to Morgan, Marsh also had a fumble as he got lit up on a reverse as soon as he got the ball, and Underwood and backup running back Bryson Kuzdzal botched a handoff late in the fourth quarter on fourth-and-1. Underwood also had interceptions on each of the prior two drives in the fourth quarter. Entering the fourth quarter of U-M’s last game against Purdue, he had one pick on the season; now he has five. Those mistakes won’t yield a win against a better team.
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Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Bryce Underwood a Michigan football winner and loser vs Northwestern
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