ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan turned to freshman quarterback Tommy Carr in the second half to spark a struggling offense, defeating Penn State 21-18 on Saturday at Ann Arbor.
Quarterback Switch Sparks Wolverines
Trailing 3-0 at halftime following a lackluster opening two quarters, first-year Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham benched starting quarterback Bryce Underwood. Underwood had thrown two interceptions in the second quarter, bringing his season total to six interceptions against five passing touchdowns.
Carr, a legacy freshman whose family history at Michigan includes a grandfather in former coach Lloyd Carr and an All-America defensive back in Tom Curtis, provided the offensive energy the Wolverines needed. While throwing for 47 yards on 5-of-7 passing, Carr made his biggest impact on the ground with four carries for 36 yards.
The offense immediately gained momentum in the second half. Bryson Kuzdzal scored on a 43-yard run and Jordan Marshall added a 1-yard touchdown—set up by a 22-yard draw from Carr—to give Michigan a 14-3 lead in the third quarter.
Penn State (3-4, 0-4 Big Ten) fought back in the fourth quarter when Carson Hansen ran for a 2-yard touchdown and a 2-point conversion, narrowing the gap. After a fumble by Nittany Lions quarterback Rocco Becht at the Penn State 16-yard line, Carr secured the game for Michigan (4-2, 1-2 Big Ten) with a 12-yard touchdown run on third down with 2:58 remaining.
Whittingham has not yet named a starting quarterback for Michigan's upcoming home matchup next Saturday against No. 5 Indiana.