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6h ago

Michigan Names No. 1 Recruit Bryce Underwood Week 1 Starter as NIL Power Play Comes Into Focus

A Fortune report details a donor-backed NIL package near $12 million that helped sway the Belleville quarterback from LSU.

Larry Ellison, chairman and co-founder of Oracle Corp., speaks during the Oracle OpenWorld 2017 conference in San Francisco, California, on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017.
Team Blue quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) makes a pass against Team Maize during the first half of the spring game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 19, 2025.
Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood throws during the spring game in Ann Arbor, Mich., on April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Overview

  • Michigan confirmed the true freshman will start Saturday’s opener against New Mexico, making him the program’s first freshman to start a season opener since 2009 and the fourth ever.
  • Fortune reports Champions Circle offered $10 million to $12 million over four years, far exceeding LSU’s reported $1.5 million annually, with the collective publicly crediting the Ellisons for guidance and resources.
  • Larry Ellison, Tom Brady and Dave Portnoy were described by Fortune as key influencers in the recruitment, with Portnoy previously pledging on his podcast to commit $3 million annually to help land a top quarterback.
  • Underwood signed an NIL deal with Celsius on Aug. 27 and will appear in a national campaign with Jeremiyah Love, Caleb Downs and Cade Klubnik, following an earlier deal with Beats by Dre.
  • Head coach Sherrone Moore will miss the third and fourth games under self-imposed sanctions tied to the sign-stealing case, with additional NCAA penalties including a 2026 opener suspension, fines and reduced official visits.