Sherrone Moore’s play-it-safe shackles had Bryce Underwood looking like a JUCO baller trying to make it out of the hood against Oklahoma. Fast-forward a week, and with Moore suspended, associate head coach Biff Poggi strolls in and basically tells his freshman quarterback, “Do your thing, kid.” And just like that—boom—Michigan’s offense turned into a fireworks show. Now, as the Michigan Wolverines head into Lincoln to face the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Biff Poggi is doubling down.

Let’s rewind for a second. Michigan stomped Central Michigan 63–3, and it wasn’t just the scoreline—it was the way they did it. 616 total yards. 8 rushing touchdowns. 33 first downs. That’s not conservative, that’s chaos. And the conductor of the chaos? Bryce Underwood, the five-star freshman who went from ‘protected’ to ‘unleashed’. Against Oklahoma, the 5-star had only one designed run and finished with negative rushing yards. Against Central, Poggi handed him the keys: 114 rushing yards, 2 rushing touchdowns, and a passing score just to remind folks he’s not a one-trick pony.

And Poggi didn’t mince words leading into Nebraska. “Push the ball, play hard, be creative, be you. If he does that, we’re gonna be okay.” That’s the kind of trust that changes a quarterback’s career trajectory. Michigan insider Brice Marich doubled down on the vibe, quoting Poggi as saying Underwood has the green light: “HC Biff Poggi says QB Bryce Underwood has a green light to do whatever he wants if he wants to run or not during a play. They want to let their playmakers be playmakers.” Translation: the quarterback isn’t being babysat anymore.

That’s the friction point right there—Moore vs. Poggi. Moore wants to protect his QB like he’s made of glass. He told the radio audience, “It’s a long year… if you run him, you better have two because they’re going to take a lot of hits.” Logical. Sure. But logic doesn’t win Big Ten road games in Lincoln. Michigan was playing it safe with Bryce Underwood because they don’t have a reliable QB if Underwood gets hurt by running too many designed runs. But Poggi’s philosophy? Let your playmakers be playmakers. And when Underwood’s legs are caged, Michigan’s offense looks like a D2. When they’re set free, it’s a legit Big 10 contender.

The numbers back it up. Through three games, Michigan’s averaging 39.3 points per game and 479.6 total yards, sitting top 15 nationally in rushing at 248.6 per game. Justice Haynes has been feasting too, punching in 4 touchdowns at 6.2 yards a pop. Defensively, they’ve tightened the screws since the opener, holding teams under 180 passing yards back-to-back. ESPN’s FPI shot them up to the 10th spot after the Central MI blowout.

But let’s keep it real—the Big Ten stretch that’s coming isn’t forgiving. Nebraska, USC, Ohio State—this is survival-of-the-fittest territory. And Michigan doesn’t survive unless Bryce Underwood is let off the leash.

Can the Michigan Wolverines hold Nebraska’s offense?

While Michigan is finding its offensive identity, Nebraska is rolling into this showdown looking like an offensive bully. The Huskers aren’t just 3–0, they’re bullying teams. After edging Cincinnati 20–17 in Week 1, they straight-up dismantled Akron 68–0 and Houston Christian 59–7. That’s a 113–7 run in their last two outings. They’re averaging 545 yards a game—366 passing, 178 rushing.

The Dylan Raiola show is the headliner. The former 5-star finally looks and plays like Patrick Mahomes 2.0 right now. Through 3 games, he’s 72-of-94, 829 yards, eight touchdowns, zero picks. Zero. Against Akron, he tossed 4 TDs and barely broke a sweat. Against Cincinnati, when it got tight, he dropped 243 yards and two scores, then leaned on DB Malcolm Hartzog Jr. to seal the deal with a clutch pick.

Michigan’s defense has looked stingy on paper, allowing just 19.3 points and 291.7 yards a game. Central Michigan barely cracked 139 total yards. But let’s be real—that’s Central. Nebraska is stacking 60-burgers back-to-back. Their third-down conversion rate? 62%. Their turnover margin? +3. And their defense? Giving up just 202 yards per game. It’s not just Raiola—it’s the full package.

So, can Michigan hold? That’s the million-dollar question. Their secondary’s improved, sure. Holding opponents under 180 passing yards for 2 weeks straight shows growth. But Raiola isn’t a MAC quarterback, and Nebraska’s receivers aren’t New Mexico’s. Michigan’s best chance is turning this into a trench fight, slowing the tempo, making Raiola uncomfortable, and forcing him into spots he hasn’t been in yet. Because right now, the kid’s playing like the Big Ten’s cheat code.