Greg McElroy Identifies College Football QB Who Could Lose His Job After Week 2

Greg McElroy believes this Big Ten quarterback's starting job is on the line in Week 2.

Dec 28, 2019; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; ESPN commentator Greg McElroy looks on before the 2019 Peach Bowl college football playoff semifinal game between the LSU Tigers and the Oklahoma Sooners at Mercedes Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

Bryce Underwood and Michigan were ubiquitous in the Week 1 college football headlines for all the wrong reasons.

The consensus No. 1 prospect in the class of 2025 finished his freshman season with 2,428 yards, 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions in the air to go along with 392 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. In the offseason, Wolverines' head coach Kyle Whittingham harped on the previous staff's shortcomings in Underwood's development last season and his expectation for Underwood to take a step forward in 2026.

Underwood's start to 2026 was not an encouraging one. He ran for 47 yards and a touchdown but put the ball on the ground in the final two minutes, and he completed 12 of 21 pass attempts for 170 yards, a rather controversial touchdown and an interception in Michigan's 13-12 survival against Western Michigan.

Naturally, Underwood's uninspiring effort in his first game with a new offensive staff sparked a discourse about his capabilities as the Wolverines' starter. On Monday, Whittingham commented on the security of Underwood's starting role, stating "it's not something that's infinite."

Former Alabama quarterback and ESPN college football analyst Greg McElroy weighed in on the matter on ESPN's "Get Up." McElroy echoed Whittingham's sentiment, specifically highlighting how replicable his performance is by average college quarterbacks.

"It almost looks like he's regressed," McElroy said. "The one thing to just cap it off, the first Hail Mary, he throws it out of the back of the end zone. That's inexcusable, it cannot happen, it's the worst throw you can possibly make. Full accounting, he's got to be very careful and he's got to play better because based on what we saw, a lot of guys can produce at the level he produced at last week and he can definitely get replaced if he doesn't pick it up."

Who does Michigan play in Week 2?

Sep 6, 2025; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Owen Heinecke (38) applies pressure on Michigan Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) during the second half at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Wolverines square off against Oklahoma (Noon EDT, FOX) in Michigan Stadium, quite possibly the worst opponent to play when your quarterback needs a get-right game.

The Sooners' defense wreaked havoc in all of its SEC road wins in 2025, which included a 23-21 upset of Alabama in Bryant-Denny Stadium in mid November. All 11 of Oklahoma's 2026 defensive starters were key contributors in the SEC's nastiest defense last season.

Last season, the play of Michigan's offense was suboptimal in the 24-13 loss at Oklahoma. Justice Haynes ripped off a 75-yard touchdown run, but that was the only time the Wolverines found the end zone. Underwood went 9-of-24 in the air for 142 yards, and Michigan finished with just 288 yards of offense.