On3 recently named the top QB battles ahead of the 2025 college football season, and Bryce Underwood vs Mikey Keene made their list:
The Michigan Wolverines are gearing up for quite the offseason. With No. 1 overall player Bryce Underwood beginning his true freshman season with high expectations, some will expect him to start right away Week 1 against New Mexico. However, Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene — who has four years of collegiate experience — will heavily factor into the conversation as well.
Needless to say, we have a legitimate quarterback battle on our hands, and this will be one of the major talking points for Michigan football all offseason long. National media outlet On3 thinks so as well, recently saying that the Wolverines’ quarterback battle is among the most intriguing heading into the 2025 season.
Here is what On3’ s Pete Nakos had to say about the upcoming quarterback competition in Ann Arbor:
After an up-and-down Year One for Sherrone Moore, Michigan decided to go all-in to flip On3’s No. 1 recruit Bryce Underwood. The months-long push to land the Belleville, Michigan, native resulted in a stunning flip to the Wolverines on Nov. 21, 2024. Michigan paid top-dollar to pull off the flip of the 2025 cycle, inking a deal with Underwood north of $10 million, sources told On3.
But Underwood will only be a freshman in the fall, even if he is one of the top quarterback prospects in recent memory. Michigan opted to bring in Fresno State transfer quarterback Mikey Keene, who will compete with Underwood for the starting job. Keene is 22−12 and a former UCF transfer. He’s thrown for 8,245 yards and 65 touchdowns. Michigan will have to decide if it rolls with Underwood and his potential or Keene, who has more college experience.
The hype for Underwood has reached a fever pitch for some Michigan fans, but one thing Nakos wrote is something fans should be reminded of whenever this quarterback battle gets brought up — Underwood is only a freshman. This is his first time in the strength and conditioning program, the first time taking college courses, the first time competing at the college level. I’m not trying to make it sound like Underwood doesn’t have a chance to win the job — he most certainly does — but I think some fans that expect him to be flawless right off the bat should pump the brakes just a tad.
One thing is for sure: Underwood will be one of the most heavily watched players in Ann Arbor this spring. I sure am excited to see him sling it and show what he’s capable of doing.
How do you envision this quarterback battle going? Let us know what you think down in the comments section!