Michigan Benches $12 Million QB Underwood, Turns to Legend's Grandson Carr; It Pays Off

Michigan benched starting quarterback Bryce Underwood at halftime during Saturday's 21-18 victory over Penn State, opting to go with backup Tommy Carr. The move proved successful, as Carr orchestrated three second-half touchdown drives, ultimately securing Michigan's first Big Ten win of head coach Kyle Whittingham's tenure.

Carr, the grandson of legendary Michigan coach Lloyd Carr and younger brother of Notre Dame quarterback C.J. Carr, completed 5 of 7 passes for 47 yards and added 38 rushing yards and a touchdown in his second career appearance. "He was very prepared for when his number was called, and he responded very well," Whittingham said of Carr.

Underwood struggled in the first half against Penn State, completing 5 of 11 passes for 43 yards and rushing for 11 yards. He also threw two interceptions, the second of which halted a potential scoring drive in the final minute of the second quarter, leaving Michigan trailing 3-0 at halftime.

Underwood, the top recruit in the 2025 class, has had an inconsistent start to his sophomore season. Through six games, he has thrown for 924 yards with a 58 percent completion rate, seven total touchdowns, and eight turnovers. Speculation has arisen about whether his $12 million Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deal has influenced his continued starting position despite performance.

Whittingham stated that a decision on the starting quarterback for the upcoming game against Indiana would be made by Monday, but indicated the team might not reveal their choice beforehand. "We will have a great idea when we all know exactly what the plan is on Monday," Whittingham said. "How much of that we’ll let out of the bag, we’ll see."

Carr, a former three-star recruit, expressed his readiness for the opportunity. "Coach came up to me and said it was my time," Carr said. "I’ve prepared for this since Day 1, so I was ready, and my teammates had my back. We played a great second half and got the job done."

With the win, Michigan avoided an 0-3 start in Big Ten play for the first time since 1967. The team faces another significant challenge next week against Indiana, whose 22-game winning streak was recently ended by Ohio State.