Bryce Underwood hasn’t played a down of college football, but he’s already looming as one of the most discussed figures in the sport. For Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore, that’s a double-edged sword. Underwood is the crown jewel of the Wolverines’ 2025 class, a five-star QB with freakish upside, and yet Moore is staring down an Oklahoma-sized storm cloud if things go sideways. It’s not about whether Underwood is talented—everyone knows that. The question is whether he can live up to the avalanche of hype that’s been building long before he’s ever faced a real collegiate defense. And the way that hype just exploded? Well, let’s just say there’s no dialing it back now.
This week, EA Sports revealed its new College Football 26 video game cover. The main cover features Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith and Alabama’s Ryan Williams, two top young stars. And on the Deluxe Edition, you’ll find Bryce Underwood in all his maize-and-blue glory gracing the cover. He’s joined by college football icons and even former Michigan QB Denard Robinson. But he’s the only true freshman. The only one who’s never thrown a college pass. That’s not just a marketing decision. That’s a torch being handed to someone who hasn’t even suited up yet. And it was enough to make PFF analyst Max Chadwick raise an eyebrow.
“Not sure I can ever remember a freshman with this much preseason hype,” he said. “Being featured on the cover of the video game and being a prominent part of the trailer before ever taking a college snap is insane. Feel like we need to temper 2025 expectations for Bryce Underwood at this point. While he’s talented, I still have SERIOUS questions about the supporting cast there.” Chadwick isn’t alone in that skepticism.
The College Football 26 trailer featured Bryce Underwood in an almost mythic spotlight. At the 50-second mark, he’s spinning out of a tackle against Ohio State, pirouetting in space like a ballerina in cleats before launching a bomb downfield. It’s flashy, cinematic, and deeply symbolic. Could it be a teaser for what he’ll do come November, when Michigan faces the Buckeyes in The Game? Maybe. Or maybe it’s a dream cooked up in post-production. Either way, Underwood’s inclusion there—and the decision to give him that exact moment—says everything about how the narrative is already being written around him.
Not sure I can ever remember a freshman with this much preseason hype.
Being featured on the cover of the video game and being a prominent part of the trailer before ever taking a college snap is insane.
Feel like we need to temper 2025 expectations for Bryce Underwood at… https://t.co/hpCSdzhpTY
— Max Chadwick (@CFBMaxChadwick) May 29, 2025
This isn’t just a recruiting coup or a hype video gone viral. It’s history. Underwood is now the first true freshman to ever appear on the cover of the EA Sports College Football series. That’s a milestone that sets him apart from the Trevor Lawrences and Caleb Williams of the world. They got the buzz after college snaps. Underwood? He’s breaking barriers before even hitting the field. It’s marketing genius—but it’s also a burden. One that no freshman has ever had to carry like this.
And what does that mean for Sherrone Moore? It means the clock’s ticking—loudly. The Wolverines’ post-Harbaugh era is already under scrutiny, and now the face of the franchise is a teenager with zero collegiate experience and a fanbase ready to crown him savior. For the Wolverines, more production is needed from receivers like Semaj Morgan, and quarterback play has to get better hand-in-hand. While Coach Moore might have a future superstar in Bryce Underwood, he must manage expectations and development, as early struggles could lead to blame. No grace period. No easing in. Just results.
Sherrone Moore’s biggest early test just got louder
Earlier Thursday, kickoff times for the Michigan Wolverines’ first four games were revealed, and the biggest challenge of the bunch is shaping up to be a primetime showdown on the road against Oklahoma on Sept. 6.
Not only are the Sooners known for their electric atmosphere at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, but this game just got a whole lot more intense. It’ll be a night game, kicking off at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC. And if you’ve ever been to Norman after dark, you already know: it’s a different beast.
“Our fans, they do a great job showing up all the time, but for whatever reason, night games draw a few more people,” Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables said last year. You can feel the volume go up when the sun goes down, and the Sooner faithful bring that extra juice in primetime.
As for the competitive edge? Venables keeps it honest. “Preparation, everybody’ll have the same amount of time, so I’m not sure if it’s an advantage or not. I’ve said it many times—I think most players and coaches prefer to wake up and go play. But it is an opportunity.” An opportunity, indeed. Underwood better justify all the hype. The lights will be bright, and the crowd will be louder.
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