With only a few weeks left until the start of college football, writers at ESPN took a moment to share X factors for every college football Top 25 team in 2025.
For Michigan - who they listed as their no. 20 team based on their post-spring Power Rankings - Jake Trotter's choice is not surprising: "QB Bryce Underwood."
"Underwood's high-profile commitment flip from LSU to Michigan was among the biggest recruiting coups yet in the NIL era," Trotter wrote. "The Wolverines also brought in Mikey Keene through the transfer portal. Keene has thrown for 8,245 career yards and 65 touchdowns during stints at Fresno State and UCF. But Underwood has the talent that could turn Michigan into a playoff contender. That's a lot to ask of a true freshman.
"But Underwood isn't an ordinary freshman. The top-rated pocket passer in the 2025 class, Underwood won two state titles in Michigan and went 50-4 as the starter at Belleville High School, with 38 straight victories from Week 4 of his freshman season to the state title game of his junior year. The Wolverines struggled to throw the ball last year. Underwood could immediately change that in 2025 -- if he wins the job."
The Wolverines opened up the checkbook to land Underwood's commitment in November, making him the highest-rated QB recruit in Michigan history according to 247Sports.
Expectations, therefore, are naturally high, and with how frequently true freshman QBs are seeing the field these days, it would be a surprise to see him not win the job at some point in the season.