ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan turned to true freshman quarterback Tommy Carr after benching sophomore starter Bryce Underwood at halftime Saturday, rallying for a 21-18 victory over Penn State at Michigan Stadium.
Underwood, who entered the season as a heralded former top recruit, struggled through a scoreless first half. The Wolverines were held to 80 total yards across five possessions as Underwood completed 5 of 11 passes for 43 yards with two interceptions, leaving Michigan trailing 3-0 at the intermission, according to Bleacher Report and SB Nation.
Facing the threat of the program’s first 0-3 start in Big Ten play since 1967, first-year head coach Kyle Whittingham chose to make a change under center to open the third quarter.
“The idea at halftime was to create a spark and Tommy did just that,” Whittingham said, as reported by the Associated Press.
Sparking the Second-Half Surge
Carr, the grandson of former Michigan national championship coach Lloyd Carr, entered to loud cheers from the home crowd. The offense responded quickly, producing two touchdowns in the third period. Running back Bryson Kuzdzal broke loose for a 43-yard touchdown run, and Jordan Marshall added a 1-yard scoring plunge, the Associated Press reported.
Marshall’s score was set up after Carr connected with tight end Hogan Hansen on a 22-yard completion and followed with a 22-yard scramble that was marked just inches shy of the goal line, according to the Detroit Free Press. Carr finished the game completing 5 of 7 passes for 47 yards while rushing for 36 yards, Bleacher Report noted.
Penn State answered in the fourth quarter when Carson Hansen ran for a 2-yard touchdown and the Nittany Lions converted a two-point attempt to cut Michigan’s lead to 14-11. Penn State quarterback Rocco Becht, who threw two interceptions on the day, later lost a fumble at his own 16-yard line.
Facing third-and-9 from the Penn State 12-yard line with 2:58 remaining, Carr kept the ball on a speed option and ran into the end zone for a crucial touchdown. With his grandfather watching from the stands, the score extended the Wolverines’ advantage to 10 points.
“To score that touchdown to seal the game was huge,” Carr said, according to the Associated Press.
Penn State trimmed the margin when Becht threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Chase Sowell with 1:11 left, but Michigan recovered the ensuing onside kick to seal the win.
Quarterback Questions Ahead
The defeat dropped Penn State to 3-4 overall and 0-4 in conference play under head coach Matt Campbell, extending their current losing streak to four games. Campbell told reporters that while the team is not where it wants to be, his players continue to battle, according to the Associated Press.
For Michigan, the victory improved its record to 4-2 overall and 1-2 in the Big Ten. Underwood has now thrown six interceptions against five touchdowns this season, according to the Associated Press. Whittingham praised Underwood’s professional reaction to the benching, saying the sophomore handled the situation with maturity.
Whittingham did not immediately announce whether Carr or Underwood would start next Saturday when Michigan hosts Indiana, which fell to Ohio State earlier in the day. The Associated Press ranked the Hoosiers No. 5, while the Detroit Free Press listed them at No. 4.
