Underwood was rated the No. 1 overall player in the Class of 2025 out of Belleville, Michigan, fewer than 20 miles from Michigan's campus. He was a transcendent talent, rated a top 10 player before his sophomore season and leading his high school to a pair of state championships.
After a lengthy commitment to LSU, Underwood was famously offered a massive NIL contract to flip to his hometown program, funded in part by billionaire Larry Ellison. He was viewed as a game-changing addition, a return to form for Michigan one year after the Wolverines won the national championship. Too big to fail.
But after a stunning 13-12 performance against that required a controversial Hail Mary with one second remaining, Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham was hesitant to back his quarterback. By his telling, the starting quarterback spot could quickly open if things don't improve.
"There were comments about that? " Underwood said. "That's cool. That's cool. I didn't see that. It's cool. "
There's a reason Underwood was taken aback by his starting job being in jeopardy: He's never faced real pressure before as a national figure. And now, Playoff appearance and positioned for another. In their season debut, the Sooners obliterated 51-0, allowing only 86 yards passing. They're one of the nation's best defenses, and Oklahoma is favored on the road by 6.5 points.
But in every challenge, there's an opportunity. This is a significant one for Underwood to rewrite his story.
Against Oklahoma, that might mean running the ball more. Despite prodigious running tools, Underwood did not rush more than 10 times in a game in the regular season last year. He hit nine against Western Michigan, averaging more than five yards per carry.
It also means limiting turnovers, which has been a struggle. Underwood threw a combined four interceptions against and in the final two games of the 2025 season and turned it over twice against Western Michigan. Fundamentally, Underwood has to find an urgency that he hasn't possessed since arriving in Ann Arbor.
Even if Underwood plays well, Michigan still has plenty of issues to fix. The defense struggled to get off the field against Western Michigan, and the offensive line got little push in the running game. If those dynamics don't get worked out, Oklahoma will roll. And frankly, that's what we expect.
Underwood is still the No. 1 overall recruit who received comparisons to Vince Young and Cam Newton in the recruiting process. If he can tap into his gifts, it gives the Wolverines a shot.
