Michigan ground out a hard-fought win over Penn State at the Big House on October 17. The victory moved the Wolverines to 4-2 overall and 1-2 in Big Ten play. The comeback brought relief mixed with new questions, especially after Kyle Whittingham defended the freshman who helped turn the game around.
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“Well, we had not had much production, obviously, in the first half. I think we had 80 yards total, which is tough to win a game doing that. We had two turnovers, and we just felt the team needed a spark, offense in particular,” Whittingham said in a one-on-one interview with Alex Crescenti.
“And Tommy had had an outstanding, first of all, bye week of practice. First of all, he’s had an outstanding, you know, ever since he stepped on campus, he’s been doing things the right way,” he added.
Bryce Underwood’s first-half numbers made the switch easy to understand. Underwood, the former No. 1 overall recruit who arrived at Michigan on a reported $12 million NIL deal, struggled early. He completed 5 of 11 passes for 43 yards and threw two interceptions. Michigan scored nothing and trailed 3-0 at the break. His second pick late in the half ended a possible scoring chance and left the offense stuck. The decision came from the lack of production and poor ball security.
“And we felt that, hey, let’s try to get a spark for the football team, and it did exactly that. It provided a boost of energy, which typically happens when you make a quarterback change. I mean, that’s something that is not that uncommon. And Tommy came in and took a drive to get settled in, but after that, he really started to play with a lot of confidence. And for a first-year player thrust into that situation, a Big Ten game where things are tough sledding on the offensive side, I thought he handled himself very well,” Whittingham continued in an Instagram Reel posted by Crescenti.
The first Big Ten win of the Whittingham era arrived only after a major halftime call. Tommy Carr entered to start the second half and finished 5 of 7 for 47 yards with no interceptions and ran four times for 36 yards. Carr’s 12-yard touchdown run helped push the lead to 21-11 late.
The ground game provided the extra support. Michigan finished with 211 rushing yards, most of them after halftime. Bryson Kuzdzal broke a 43-yard touchdown run, Jordan Marshall scored from a yard out, and Carr added his own score.
Carr’s preparation gave Whittingham reason to trust him in the moment. Coaches have described him as a film-room regular with a high football IQ and steady composure. He took meaningful first-team reps during the bye week.
“At halftime they told me that it was my time, and I was prepared for this since Week 1. I prepared every day like I was the starter and got the call,” Carr said after the game. “There was a little bit of nerves, but I knew I was prepared and ready for this moment.”
Carr is the grandson of former Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr and former All-American Tom Curtis, and the younger brother of Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr. He enrolled early in January 2026 after a strong high school career, which put him in position to compete right away.
The Penn State half was not Underwood’s only tough stretch. Michigan lost to Iowa 20-19 and to Minnesota 20-14, with interceptions and uneven production in both. Through six games, Underwood has thrown for 924 yards with five touchdowns and six interceptions. Those numbers give context for the decision without closing the door on his future role.
Underwood’s reaction drew notice as well. Carr and Whittingham both said he handled the benching professionally. He stayed engaged, supported Carr, and helped between series instead of stepping away. Whittingham said Underwood “couldn’t have handled it any better.”
Whittingham had not named a starter as of October 19. He said the staff had a plan but would not tip their hand. Carr would receive the full playbook if chosen, while a return for Underwood stayed possible. The next test raises the stakes. Michigan hosts Indiana on October 24 at the Big House.