Michigan beat No. 11 Oklahoma 17-10 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, bouncing back from a week of controversy to move to 2-0 on the season.
Bryce Underwood, the Wolverines' quarterback, scored a 38-yard rushing touchdown in the first half before Jordan Marshall added a score that sealed the win. Underwood finished with 111 passing yards and 87 rushing yards and did not turn the ball over.
Michigan, one of college football's most storied programs, plays its home games at Michigan Stadium, known as the Big House, the largest stadium in the United States by capacity.
The win came a week after Michigan needed a second chance at the clock to beat Western Michigan 13-12, a finish that triggered days of criticism from outside the program.
Controversial win over Western Michigan
Michigan appeared to have suffered one of the biggest upsets in college football history when Western Michigan batted down a Hail Mary as time expired. But Big Ten officials added an extra second to the clock, and Underwood found JJ Buchanan on a 47-yard pass as time expired for a second time, securing the 13-12 win.
The fallout was significant. The Mid-American Conference, of which Western Michigan is a member, called on the NCAA and the College Football Playoff to reverse the result and said it considered the game a loss for Michigan. The Wolverines dropped out of the AP Top 25 entirely despite the win, having entered the season ranked No. 16.
Underwood silences the doubters
That result made Michigan a big underdog at home against No. 11 Oklahoma, with the Sooners favored by 5.5 points on betting lines. Underwood, who struggled badly in Week 1 and was called "quarterback right now" by his head coach, delivered his biggest win yet at Michigan.
Underwood joined the Wolverines as a coveted recruit and is reportedly paid $3 million a year under a name, image and likeness deal worth $12 million over four years, making him the most expensive quarterback in college football. Under the NCAA's NIL rules, introduced in 2021, college athletes can be paid directly by sponsors and boosters.
"Great response by Bryce. I thought he played an excellent game," head coach Kyle Whittingham said, pointing out the absence of any turnovers.
"Very happy. Just thankful to my teammates for holding me accountable this entire week to be the best quarterback I can possibly be," Underwood said.
Defense delivers final stand
Michigan's defense left Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer struggling for answers throughout the game. Whittingham called the unit "lights out."
The Wolverines delivered one final stand in the fourth quarter, with the Sooners given one last chance at late drama before the defense ended the game with a sack. Oklahoma left the Big 12 for the Southeastern Conference in 2024.
Whittingham said his team "did more" after the previous week's performance. "It was a big effort. Team effort. Still got a lot of things to clean up," he said. "Very proud of the way they responded after our performance last week. That is great to see."
Asked what he was most proud of, he said: "The entire football team and how they responded after such a downer last week."
What comes next
Michigan, now 2-0, hosts UTEP next week. Oklahoma, now 1-1, is home to New Mexico before daunting Southeastern Conference games against Georgia and Texas.
