Bryce Underwood Has to Turn the Corner Against Iowa
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Even though the Michigan Wolverines are 3-0 this season, there are still questions about whether quarterback Bryce Underwood is going to turn the corner. The No. 18 Wolverines host the No. 17 Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday, Sept. 26 at Michigan Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS.
Bryce Underwood’s Numbers Have Been Modest
This season, Underwood has completed 62.5% of his passes for 504 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. He has also rushed for 156 yards on 33 carries and two touchdowns, averaging 4.7 yards per carry. The passing numbers have been underwhelming, and the schedule is about to get harder.
Iowa Has the Nation’s Best Scoring Defense
Iowa is not just the stingiest defense in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes lead the entire country in scoring defense at 4.3 points per game and in total defense at 176.7 yards per game, with shutouts of Northern Illinois and Northern Iowa already on the board. Michigan’s offense will have to earn every yard.
Max Chadwick of PFF, previewing the biggest games of the weekend, laid out why that is a problem for Underwood:
“Bryce Underwood wasn’t just the No. 1 recruit in the 2025 high school class; he was one of the highest-rated quarterback recruits of all time. But it’s fair to say that he hasn’t quite lived up to that billing a year and change into his collegiate career. So far, Underwood has 15 big-time throws, 21 turnover-worthy plays and just a 70.4% adjusted completion rate.
He now must face one of the best defensive coordinators in the nation in Phil Parker and Iowa’s stingy pass defense. The Hawkeyes are currently the best team in college football in terms of EPA per pass allowed (-0.443) and are second in the country with only 3.1 yards per pass permitted.”
If Iowa’s defense is that stingy against Michigan on Saturday, the Wolverines could finish the afternoon under 200 yards of offense. They are not going to win the game that way.
Questions About Underwood Will Emerge Again
If Underwood completes only 50 percent of his passes, throws for under 200 yards and gives the ball away twice, the questions are going to start again. A former five-star recruit has to show up against top-tier defenses, not struggle against them. The Wolverines need him to be better, and if Michigan loses because of the quarterback position, that is where the week will go.
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