Bryce Underwood’s name is already buzzing around Michigan, but not because of anything he’s done on a college field. People are desperate to see if he’s really the quarterback to drag the Wolverines back to the College Football Playoff National Championship after things fell short in 2024-25. They want to know: just how much is riding on a kid who hasn’t even taken a college snap?
How Does the Trevor Lawrence Comparison Set Expectations for Michigan and Bryce Underwood?
When Bryce Underwood chose to stay home and play for the University of Michigan, it shook things up. The Wolverines finished 8-5 in 2024-25, grabbing a ReliaQuest Bowl win against Alabama, but even that couldn’t hide just how much trouble the offense had finding any rhythm. Scoring drives felt like searching for water in a desert at times.
Head Coach Sherrone Moore’s squad put up only 22 points a game, ranking them 119th nationally. The silver lining: the defense only allowed 19.9 points per game, giving Michigan a chance even when the offense struggled. If Michigan can get more out of both sides of the ball, or even if the defense keeps up its current level, this group could become a real threat in the Big Ten, maybe even a pain for other contenders in the College Football Playoff chase.
The Trevor Lawrence hype started with a fan, but Clayton Sayfie, who co-hosts “The Wolverine: Michigan Football and Basketball” on YouTube, didn’t shy away from responding to that comparison.
“Yeah, he could be what Trevor Lawrence was as a freshman could be by Clemson. Yeah, it’s very possible. It would be incredible, and Trevor Lawrence had a better team around him that year. They went undefeated and won the national championship. So, that certainly helps because then you can step in with many things around you. Bryce Underwood will have to do more than Trevor Lawrence did that year.”
Sayfie’s take isn’t just about hype, either. The truth is, Lawrence was not named Clemson’s starter at first; he started out behind Kelly Bryant and only took over after a few games, seeing his chances grow from sharing snaps to owning the field. In those first two outings, Lawrence threw just 23 passes to Bryant’s 34.
Plus, Clemson gave Lawrence a huge supporting cast. Travis Etienne rumbled for over 1,600 yards and led the nation with 24 touchdowns. Tee Higgins and Justin Ross stacked up more than 1,900 yards and 21 touchdowns between them. It’s impossible to predict if Underwood will find himself surrounded by that kind of star power right away.
Physically, Underwood brings the tools Michigan fans want: size, speed, and a cannon for an arm. The one thing missing? Experience. Comparing him to Trevor Lawrence before we see him in a single college game is tough, just for that reason alone. The big question hanging over Ann Arbor: Can he live up to all of this talk and put up the kind of numbers Lawrence did as a freshman?
