ESPN reveals Michigan football's biggest X-factor entering 2025 season

Michigan won just eight games in Year 1 of Sherrone Moore, but the Wolverines ended the season with a bang. Beating rival Ohio State and then Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl has fans ready for the 2025 season. But if Michigan is going to get back into the College Football Playoff, the Wolverines will need someone to really step up and lead the offense.

After having the 131st-ranked passing attack in college football in 2024, ESPN named QB Bryce Underwood as the Wolverines' biggest X-Factor entering 2025.

"Underwood's high-profile commitment flip from LSU to Michigan was among the biggest recruiting coups yet in the NIL era. The Wolverines also brought in Mikey Keene through the transfer portal. Keene has thrown for 8,245 career yards and 65 touchdowns during stints at Fresno State and UCF. But Underwood has the talent that could turn Michigan into a playoff contender. That's a lot to ask of a true freshman. But Underwood isn't an ordinary freshman. The top-rated pocket passer in the 2025 class, Underwood won two state titles in Michigan and went 50-4 as the starter at Belleville High School, with 38 straight victories from Week 4 of his freshman season to the state title game of his junior year. The Wolverines struggled to throw the ball last year. Underwood could immediately change that in 2025 -- if he wins the job."

Landing Underwood was the first piece to the puzzle, but allowing him to soar in Ann Arbor is the next step. Michigan believes it has the pieces for that in 2025. Coach Moore hired Chip Lindsey to run his offense and the Wolverines brought in a few key pieces at WR to help Underwood. Landing 6-foot-5 Donaven McCulley gives Underwood the deep threat Michigan has badly missed. WR Anthony Simpson out of UMass has 'done' it before, leading the team in receiving in 2023.

Underwood hasn't been named the starting QB in 2025, but he's well on his way to doing so.

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