Not every team gets the start it dreams of to begin the season — Michigan football did to open 2025.
Quarterback Bryce Underwood and the offense received a standing ovation to start the night at Michigan Stadium, and took less than two minutes to find the end zone: Justice Haynes, an Alabama transfer, ripped off a 56-yard scamper up the right sideline.
Underwood showed plenty of the tantalizing talent Saturday that made him the nation’s No. 1 recruit in the 2025 class, helping the No. 14 Wolverines grind out a 34-17 win over a game New Mexico Lobos team in Ann Arbor.
Haynes ran 16 times for 159 yards and scored three touchdowns in his Wolverines debut, and Underwood played mistake-free football, completing 21-for-31 passes for 251 yards and a score.
Underwood, the fourth true freshman ever to start at quarterback for Michigan, got the loudest roar when he threw his first career touchdown pass with 25 seconds left in the first half on a 15-yard out-and-up to tight end Marlin Klein.
Underwood also threw a touchdown-springing block to conclude the second drive, a 13-play, 73-yard march.
The prized possession of the program, Underwood lowered his shoulder to create enough room as Haynes bounced the ball back to the left and waltzed into the end zone.
The defense, after a great start, did not dominate as expected, but came up with three interceptions.
However, linebacker Jaishawn Barham was ejected for targeting and will sit the first half next week at Oklahoma.
But the big story was Underwood’s first collegiate performance.
Bryce Underwood debut: How good was he?
Underwood’s Michigan debut was everything the program and its fans could have imagined.
Underwood, who turned 18 years old Aug. 19, connected with multiple pass catchers for big plays (Channing Goodwin for 39 yards, Kendrick Bell for 30, Klein for 27 and the 15-yard touchdown), and stayed poised to complete several third-and-longs. Michigan was 6-for-13 on third down.
It helped new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey put him in solid positions early on. Screen, curl, quick-out, play-action, flare and a slant were how he completed six of his first seven passes before a drop on the eighth. He got in a rhythm early.
There were a few cover-your-eyes moments. He forced a throw to Donaven McCulley midway through the second quarter that was nearly picked, then threw a hospital ball to Klein two plays later. Also, on third-and-goal at the 3, he threw a pass which was tipped and could’ve been picked off.
But the game-changing play came facing third-and-14 late in the first half, after New Mexico had scored 10 straight. He ripped a dart to Goodwin on a skinny-post in stride for a pickup of 39 yards — U-M’s longest pass all year in 2024 was 36.
Five plays later, Underwood found Klein for the score.
Underwood spread the ball around to a number of his top targets with five players amassing at least 30 receiving yards. The operation was sound, and having Underwood enroll in December has already paid off.
Michigan defense was likely better than score looked
Wink Martindale’s unit lost a trio of All-Americans but early on it was hard to tell. The defense forced a pair of three-and-outs in the first quarter as it faced just seven plays which picked up only 15 yards.
New Mexico did have a pair of first downs to open the second quarter, but that only seemed to upset the Wolverines. After Zeke Berry ended one drive with a pass breakup, TJ Guy came away with the first takeaway of the season, a one-handed interception on a ricochet of an offensive lineman’s helmet.
New Mexico’s touchdown in the second quarter came on a nifty trick play — snapping the ball on the ground through the quarterback’s legs directly to the running back on fourth-and-1 from the 9, setting up a wide open toss to Dorian Thomas.
Midway through the third quarter, Barham crushed quarterback Jack Layne, picked the ball up and ran 17 yards for a scoop-and-score. After review, Layne was ruled down, and Barham was flagged for targeting and ejected for a helmet-to-helmet hit — a momentum-changing play.
New Mexico capitalized by taking 15 plays to travel 75 yards and scoring on a 3-yard pass to Thomas.
The defense did come up with a big fourth-down stop in the fourth quarter when Brandyn Hillman intercepted a deep shot, though he would have been better off batting it down, and Cole Sullivan nabbed a pick on a tipped ball near the goal line to ice the game.
Michigan had three interceptions, nine tackles for loss, seven quarterback hurries, four pass breakups and three sacks.
Zaniness kept New Mexico close with Michigan
Michigan was up 17 closing in on halftime before New Mexico’s first touchdown — the Lobos hadn’t crossed midfield before that drive. Then, a fumbled kick return by true freshman Andrew Marsh set New Mexico up in field goal range to cut the deficit to 17-10.
Later, Barham appeared to put U-M up 34-10 when his scoop-and-score was taken off the board.
New Mexico also had a catch on third-and-long along the sideline that likely would have been overturned on review, but the Lobos hurried to the line to get the next play off. Jyaire Hill was also flagged on third-and-goal from the 3, giving the Lobos new life.
Sloppy play was a problem, including nine penalties for 65 yards. That must be cleaned up next week at Oklahoma.
Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan gets big debuts from Bryce Underwood, Justice Haynes to hold off New Mexico 34-17
Reporting by Tony Garcia, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
