Skip to main content
Michigan

Michigan football alum on Bryce Underwood’s debut: ‘Jaw on the floor — it’s all real,’ compares him to NFL star

Anthony Broomeby: Anthony Broome08/31/25anthonytbroome
Syndication: Detroit Free Press
Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood passes against New Mexico during the first half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, August 30, 2025. (Junfu Han/Detroit Free Press via USA Today Syndication)

The Michigan Wolverines made their 2025 team debut on Saturday night in a 34-17 win over New Mexico on Saturday night in Ann Arbor. But all eyes were on freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood, who went 21-of-31 for 251 yards and a touchdown in his first collegiate start.

That caught the attention of former Michigan defensive lineman Ryan Van Bergen, who was struck by the performance.

 ”It is impossible not to say that Bryce Underwood [was the most impressive],” Van Bergen said of his takeaways from the game in a Sunday podcast with The Wolverine. “The way that his ball releases from his hand and the velocity, the spin rate and the quickness… I was thinking there’s no way I’m going to be surprised or I’m going to buy the hype that I’ve heard everybody else have. And I got nothing besides ‘jaw on the floor.’ It’s all real. This kid is unbelievable.”

Van Bergen played at Michigan from 2007-11 and spent time with the Carolina Panthers in 2012, giving up an up-close look at a player he thinks Underwood mirrors in former Pro Bowl quarterback Cam Newton.

“I’ve had a privileged football career where I got to chase and miss, but also chase and sack Terrelle Pryor [at Ohio State],” Van Bergen said. I got to play with Cam Newton in Carolina, one of the freakiest of freaks that’s ever played the game. Bryce Underwood’s in that category. There’s no doubt about it. And I wasn’t expecting to be as wowed by him as I was. And then you go back and you watch the game, and he had a couple passes, of course, that you should never throw across the middle across his body. There are freshman mistakes that are gonna exist, but in college football on Saturday, I don’t know that I’d want another guy as my QB1.

“And you can go across the league. Bryce Underwood is special and he pops right away to someone who’s been around a lot of football. That’s probably the biggest thing. I couldn’t believe how much of a mark that made on me as a guy who doesn’t stargaze. It’s all real.”

Michigan postgame reactions

In addition to the show with Van Bergen on Sunday morning, TheWolverine.com also put out a quick reactions episode minutes after the game went final on Saturday night.

You can watch both shows above or listen to the audio versions wherever you get your podcasts.