TL;DR
- Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood faces Ohio State in his first college football rivalry game.
- Wolverines need a win against Ohio State to reach the Big Ten title game.
- ESPN's Rece Davis compares Underwood's throwing ability to John Elway's.
- A victory could solidify Underwood's legacy in Michigan football history.
The Michigan-Ohio State game is legendary, yet for Michigan's quarterback Bryce Underwood, this marks his inaugural experience in college football's premier rivalry.
To have a shot at the Big Ten title game in Indianapolis next Saturday, the Wolverines must defeat Ohio State for the fifth consecutive time. For Underwood, this presents an opportunity for a legendary moment that will be etched in Michigan's history for generations.
Rece Davis of ESPN recently praised Underwood's potential, suggesting this weekend could be a historic one should Michigan beat Ohio State.
His biggest attribute: his arm.
“You know who Bryce Underwood reminds me of? Just when he throws the ball," Davis asked on "The College Gameday Podcast." "When I watch it come out of his hand, he reminds me of John Elway.”
That's high praise from Davis, especially considering Elway won two Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos.
“I don’t know,” Davis said. “It comes out and it comes out nice and it comes out hot… you have two choices sometimes when Underwood throws it like Elway. You catch it or you wear it. It’s up to you."
Davis stated that Underwood has plenty of time to forge his own legacy, suggesting he could draw inspiration from Elway to enhance his reputation.
At Stanford and with The Broncos, they'd likely refer to it as the Elway cross. It would slip through your grasp, strike your chest, and the football's seams would imprint a cross on your torso and so on. He can solidify his legacy.
While Underwood might not need to emulate Elway's performance, if he's forced to, it would be a career-defining game he'd remember always, marking the moment he solidified his status as a widely recognized college quarterback, assuming he hasn't already achieved that.
By Saturday, the next chapter of Underwood's story will be written.