Michigan Shifts to Freshman Carr After Underwood's Struggles

WHO:

Newsweek - Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood was benched.

IJR - Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham made the decision to bench Underwood.

WHAT:

Newsweek - Bryce Underwood was benched in the second half of a matchup against Penn State.

IJR - Underwood threw two first-half interceptions and completed five passes for 43 yards.

IJR - The Wolverines were trailing 3-0 at the time of the benching.

IJR - Freshman Tommy Carr took over as quarterback to start the second half.

WHERE:

Newsweek - The game took place during a matchup with Penn State.

WHEN:

IJR - The decision to bench Underwood occurred during a game against Penn State.

WHY:

IJR - Coach Kyle Whittingham sought to spark the offense after Underwood's struggles.

HOW:

IJR - The coaching staff decided to replace Underwood with Carr in an effort to improve performance.

(UPDATED October 18, 2026 01:21 UTC)

In a surprising move, Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham benched quarterback Bryce Underwood during the second half of their game against Penn State. Underwood struggled in the first half, throwing two interceptions and completing just five passes for 43 yards, leaving the Wolverines trailing 3-0 at the time of the decision. Freshman Tommy Carr stepped in as quarterback to start the second half, as the coaching staff aimed to spark the offense and improve performance.