ANN ABROR, Mich. (AP) — Bryce Underwood and the 20th-ranked Michigan Wolverines were clinging to a three-point lead after two quarters against Wisconsin when the freshman quarterback said the messaging in the locker room was clear.
“We went into halftime saying we’re going to dominate,” he said.
Michigan (4-1, 2-0 Big Ten) pulled away in the second half when Underwood threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Donaven McCulley late in the third quarter and Justice Haynes had his second short touchdown run early in the fourth.
Underwood, the nation’s No. 1 recruit last year, completed 19 of 28 passes for a season-high 270 yards with a touchdown and gave grace to teammates for dropping some passes.
“Good play, bad play — next play,” he said. “If you’re stuck on the last play, you’ll be stuck on the next one.”
Haynes had 19 carries, including one for 43 yards against a defense that led major college football by allowing just 50 yards rushing per game, and finished with 117 yards on the ground. The Alabama transfer has run for 100-plus yards in each game this season.
McCulley had six catches for a season-high 112 yards and a score.
The Badgers (2-3, 0-2) opened the game with a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that took nearly seven minutes off the clock and didn't score again until Nathanial Vakos kicked a 39-yard field goal late in the game.
“We’re not here to sugarcoat anything," Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell said. "There obviously is some good, but our ability to sustain and finish, we still are not close to where we need to be. The second half showed that.”
Southern Illinois transfer QB Hunter Simmons made his first start for the Badgers in place of Danny O’Neil, who had as many touchdowns (five) as interceptions while filling in for injured quarterback Billy Edwards Jr.
Simmons was 18 of 29 for 177 yards with an interception.
“Hunter showed some poise," Fickell said.
Dilin Jones had 17 carries for 63 yards, mostly on the game-opening drive, and scored on a 5-yard run to put the Badgers ahead briefly. Wisconsin's Vinny Anthony had nine receptions for 97 yards.
Wisconsin: Fickell has a losing record (15-16) in his third season with the Badgers. Fickell fell to 0-8 against AP Top 25 teams while at Wisconsin.
He said every play will be analyzed to see which players have a competitive spirit.
“We’re going to find out who the ones are who don’t look at the scoreboard," Fickell said, "don't look at the record, don’t worry about who the next opponent is, but are willing to fight their way through this thing.”
Michigan: In his first home game since beating Ohio State in 2024, safety Rod Moore intercepted a pass at the Michigan 17 late in the third quarter. Moore made his season debut at Nebraska after two knee surgeries sidelined him last year.
“I couldn’t be more proud of this young man,” coach Sherrone Moore said. “Everything you want, he does it the right way. He’s special.”
Moore returned from a school-imposed, two-game suspension stemming from the program's previous sign-stealing scheme.
He said it was “torture” to be away from the team for two weeks.
“We felt his energy,” McCulley said. “That’s something that really helps us.”
Michigan plays at USC and Wisconsin hosts Iowa on Oct. 11.
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Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore gives a news interview after the team's win in an NCAA college football game against Wisconsin, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
