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Whittingham Benches Underwood, Names Tommy Carr Starter

By Drooid · Oct 24, 2026, 2:55 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Whittingham benches Underwood

Coach Kyle Whittingham benched quarterback Bryce Underwood and named Tommy Carr starter.
Underwood earned $12.5 million in name-image-likeness (NIL) compensation from Michigan.
Underwood completed 58.1% of passes for 924 yards, five touchdowns and six interceptions in six starts.
Carr completed five of seven passes for 47 yards, added 36 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Carr will start against No. 6 Indiana Saturday while Michigan ranks 105th nationally, averaging 22.7 points per game.

Summary

Indiana defense dominates

Indiana defense posted a perfect 6-0 record against first- and second-year freshman quarterbacks since 2024.
Opponents completed 58.8% of passes for 574 yards, two touchdowns and six interceptions against those QBs.
Indiana generated pressure on 42.1% of dropbacks, recording 40 pressures and four sacks in the games.
The Hoosiers rank fourth nationally with 24 sacks, led by Tobi Osunsanmi’s seven and Stephen Daley’s five.

History

Historical Context

The NCAA, which coined “student-athlete” in 1953 to protect amateurism, began loosening that rule after California’s 2019 Fair Pay to Play Act and the Supreme Court’s 2021 Alston decision. On June 30 2021 the NCAA adopted interim NIL rules, enabling Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy to sign an $8.2 million deal in 2022, the biggest Big Ten contract that season.

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Whittingham benches Underwood

Coach Kyle Whittingham benched quarterback Bryce Underwood and named Tommy Carr starter.
Underwood earned $12.5 million in name-image-likeness (NIL) compensation from Michigan.
Underwood completed 58.1% of passes for 924 yards, five touchdowns and six interceptions in six starts.
Carr completed five of seven passes for 47 yards, added 36 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Carr will start against No. 6 Indiana Saturday while Michigan ranks 105th nationally, averaging 22.7 points per game.

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