Bryce Underwood benched

Sports · Heat 1.0 / 10 · 2 shows · 16m airtime

Michigan benched quarterback Bryce Underwood, the former No. 1 high school recruit, on October 18, 2026, after a rough start. He was pulled at halftime against Penn State, and Tommy Carr led a comeback win. The discussion surveys recent top-ranked quarterbacks who stalled in college, including Faison Brandon, DJ Lagway, Arch Manning, Drew Aller and Quinn Ewers, and argues that teams are reluctant to cut losses on big-money recruits. The point now under scrutiny is that the staff who recruited Underwood is no longer at the school, leaving open how much of the fit problem belongs to them.

How 2 podcasts covered it

1. Nightcap, 2026-10-18 (16:58 to 21:56)
   Surveys stalled No. 1 quarterbacks
   Surveys the recent run of No. 1 high school quarterbacks who stalled - Brandon, Lagway, Manning, Aller, Ewers - and argues teams won't cut losses on big-money recruits. Notes the staff that recruited Underwood is gone.
   New angle: The coaches who recruited Bryce Underwood are no longer at the school.
2. The Rich Eisen Show, 2026-10-19 (30:32 to 41:08)
   Adds the halftime benching and Carr's comeback
   Adds the detail behind the benching: Underwood was pulled at halftime against Penn State after two interceptions, and Tommy Carr led a comeback win. Frames Carr as Michigan's starter going forward and runs through the rest of a chaotic Week 7.
   New angle: Michigan benched Bryce Underwood at halftime against Penn State, and Tommy Carr led a comeback win.