Bryce Underwood ran for a 38-yard touchdown against Oklahoma, leading Michigan with 87 yards on 18 carries in Saturdayâs 17-10 win. Kyle Whittingham said the staff deliberately expanded his running role. Underwood gave that decision a substantial return; his passing line, 9 of 17 for 111 yards, without a touchdown or interception, left another part of the offense unfinished.
Michigan hosts UTEP on Saturday, September 19, at 3:30 p.m. ET on BTN, with a 97.3% chance to win. Iowa visits the following week to begin Michiganâs Big Ten schedule. This is a good Saturday to want more than survival. That means sustained possessions, completions that keep the offense moving, and manageable third downs.
Underwoodâs response matters because Whittingham had warned on September 7 that his hold on QB1 was conditional, saying the staff needed improvement without panicking. Protecting the ball while taking on more of the rushing work strengthened Underwoodâs immediate position against Oklahoma. It did not make dependable passing, or indefinite job security, a settled matter.
Whittingham is in his first Michigan season, with new coordinators Jason Beck on offense and Jay Hill on defense. Michigan committed 11 penalties for 90 yards against Oklahoma, leaving both new coordinators with a discipline problem to fix. Whittingham said offensive flags put Michigan behind schedule and defensive flags extended Oklahoma possessions. Against UTEP, root for Michigan to make the opponent earn those extra yards and downs.
UTEP has a relevant strength here. The Miners averaged 7.2 tackles for loss in 2025, first in Conference USA and 10th nationally. That history gives Michiganâs blockers and Underwood a concrete concern. Avoiding a penalty matters even more when the next snap can bring a defender into the backfield. Give the passing game a chance to operate before it has to rescue a possession.
Michiganâs defense supplied the decisive opportunity against Oklahoma. With the game tied, Jyaire Hill intercepted John Mateer and returned the ball to the Oklahoma 6; Jordan Marshall scored from one yard two plays later. Whittingham credited Jay Hillâs detailed preparation, while Jyaire Hill said the defense recognized Oklahomaâs intended concept and Chris Bracy described disguising and changing looks to force Mateerâs decisions. Fans can look for that recognition and execution again, without counting on another takeaway six yards from the end zone.
Rod Moore made a second start at left safety, contributed on special teams and recorded three tackles against Oklahoma. After three knee surgeries, he is again contributing on defense and special teams; against UTEP, watch whether he can keep handling both roles.
USC at Rutgers: root for Rutgers
Saturday, September 19, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS. Rutgers has an 11% chance to pull the upset. A USC loss would put a defeat on a Big Ten competitorâs conference record, helping Michigan through the conference race. Michiganâs modeled playoff chances are 9% if Rutgers wins versus 7.6% if USC wins, a 1.4 percentage-point benefit between those alternative outcomes. Enjoy the upset bid if it develops; Michigan does not need to spend the afternoon waiting for it.
The interactive guide has the full odds, with the model explained in the methodology.
Against UTEP, a touchdown possession built on accurate throws and free of drive-killing flags would add something Michigan still needs alongside Underwoodâs demonstrated running threat, namely a way to keep moving when the quarterback cannot run the offense out of trouble.