Who could have ever predicted that giving an eight-figure deal to a teenager might not work out? Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood, who signed a four-year deal worth north of $10 million before his freshman season, may have taken his last snap for the Wolverines. After a rocky freshman season and a worse start to 2026, he was replaced by Tommy Carr in a 21-18 win over Penn State on October 17.
Underwood had started the game 5/11 for 43 yards and two interceptions. He’s started the season completing just 58.1% of his passes for 154 yards per game, and has a TD:INT ratio of five to six. It’s a regression over the freshman lumps he took last season, and the nail in the coffin could be that he wasn’t recruited by current head coach Kyle Whittingham. He was inherited, and based on the small sample of good play from the quarterback that Whittingham did bring in, it appears Underwood’s days in Ann Arbor are all but over.
Bryce Underwood Options
Coming out of Belleville High School in Michigan, Underwood was the top-rated recruit in the nation. He had a grade of 93 on ESPN and was a five-star prospect on every recruiting site. He could look to one of the schools that lost out on him, giving them a second chance. Alabama will not dip its toe in that pool, though. Despite heavily pursuing Underwood throughout high school, his poor play at the college level won’t win them over. Not only that, but they got a commitment from the number two prospect in the United States, Keelon Russell, and he’s made a case as one of the best quarterbacks in the country.
Ole Miss had kicked the tires on Underwood, and Trinidad Chambliss will be headed to the NFL in the offseason, but they also have Deuce Knight waiting in the wings. The former Auburn signal-caller is earmarked to take the reins and will already be up to speed on the playbook. Those are the schools that are out, so who might be interested in giving Michigan’s quarterback a shot?
Miami Hurricanes
Mario Cristobal has chosen not to recruit at quarterback, but to get established college quarterbacks in the transfer portal to keep his team from having to rebuild around youth. In 2024, he brought Cam Ward in from Washington State (and he was drafted number one overall). The following season, he featured Carson Beck from Georgia and made it to the National Championship game. This season, Duke transfer Darian Mensah is leading the Heisman race.
Underwood would bring two years of starting experience (or a year and a half anyways), still has boatloads of talent, and would inherit receiver Malachi Toney. The ACC is much easier to play in than the Big 10, and maybe Cristobal could unlock the talent that resides in Underwood’s arm.
Indiana Hoosiers
Head coach Curt Cignetti has been dubbed a quarterback whisperer, and like Cristobal in Miami, he chooses to bring in experienced starting quarterbacks. He won a National Championship with Fernando Mendoza, who transferred from Cal as a competent quarterback, and left as the Heisman winner and top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. This year, Josh Hoover from TCU looks even better. He has 18 touchdowns and no interceptions this year.
Could Cignetti bring in Underwood and work his magic? It’s certainly possible, but the argument against is that the other two quarterbacks were established pocket passers coming in, and Underwood isn’t. He’s a dual threat, or listed that way, but in reality he is not a threat on the ground or through the air. He may need a year on the bench to learn the position.
Louisiana State University (LSU)
Lane Kiffin likes to look smarter than other coaches, and he’s proved he doesn’t mind controversy. Sam Leavitt is likely NFL-bound after the season, but that’s just speculation. The 2027 Draft is quarterback-loaded, and if he does declare, Leavitt may not end up picked before day three. Staying an extra year in Baton Rouge could propel him from round four to round 1 in 2028 if he continues to improve.
Playing behind Leavitt would be perfect for Underwood. He would get a year out of the spotlight, but when he finally gets to start again, he would be on a loaded team in the best conference in football. Kiffin may have to pony up some cash to get Michigan’s castaway, but he was willing to pay NFL players to play for him, so it’s not out of the question.
Southern California (USC)
Jayden Maiava will be among the loaded 2027 quarterback class, and Lincoln Riley will need a replacement. Underwood has to be intriguing, and the fit seems perfect for a guy who coached Jalen Hurts, Caleb Williams, and Kyler Murray. All three of those guys were mobile, but flourished under Riley. On the other hand, Riley wasn’t able to mold top prospect Malachi Nelson, so what would Underwood be under his leadership?
Colorado Buffaloes
It’s Coach Prime, and he’d love the media circus that would come with getting Underwood to Boulder. He could offer the embattled quarterback a starting role right away, and it really wouldn’t matter how Underwood plays, because the whole thing would keep Colorado atop Sportscenter, which is what Prime is all about.
It wouldn’t be the best fit for either side in terms of play on the field, but both would get something out of the pairing.
