Insider notebook: Michigan’s secret week with Bryce Underwood, Big Ten coach predicts Ohio State-Indiana score

Whoosh. That sound you hear was the recruiting dominos cascading en masse Thursday. The No. 1 prospect in the 2025 class Bryce Underwood stole the thunder of Top247 QB Julian Lewis’ McAfee-televised commitment to Colorado earlier in the day, two massive strokes of recruiting news that settled nicely in time for us to enjoy the ramifications of an important Week 12 slate in college football. National Signing Day — aka, the first day of the Early Signing Period — is Dec. 4, earlier than ever. It’s nice to get much of this out of the way now, we think.

Still, we have some fresh info to unpack regarding the Underwood’s flip from LSU to Michigan in today’s insider notebook, along with happenings of the on-field and off-field (job vacancy) variety. Here’s what we’re unpacking. 

• Inside Bryce Underwood’s secret trip to Ann Arbor to clinch the flip
• Michigan’s plans for its 2025 QB room still include a transfer 
• LSU is reeling, but it’ll feel better if Garrett Nussmeier returns
• Opposing coaches size up the game of the week: Ohio State vs. Indiana
• Why East Carolina, Fresno State rank as best job openings — with Charlotte a sneaky-good one
• And why UMass is stuck
• Lane Kiffin has sprinkled some of that Saban pixie dust on … Saban’s former DC, Pete Golding
• Your tiebreaker guide as teams look to make conference championship games

Michigan’s final push to finish off the flip of the year

Sherrone Moore’s work at practice this week went well beyond preparing Michigan for its upcoming game against Northwestern.

For multiple days, Moore and the Wolverines secretly hosted five-star QB and No. 1 overall 2025 recruit Bryce Underwood during their prep for Northwestern, including Wednesday when he visited along with high school teammate and recent Michigan commit Elijah Dotson. Moore had the blue-chip quarterback shadow him throughout the day, let him sit on meetings and gave thorough insight into everything the Wolverines were doing. Those days on campus essentially sealed the day for Michigan and set them up for the bombshell news that Underwood dropped Thursday evening, that he’d be flipping his commitment from LSU to his home-state Wolverines.

It capped multiple months of aggressive behind-the-scenes work that was spearheaded by Moore and general manager Sean Magee as they had to overcome a relationship that was significantly fractured because of Underwood, who grew up wanting to play at Michigan, not being made to feel like a priority earlier in his high school career by former Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh and ex-Michigan quarterbacks coach Matt Weiss. Underwood confirmed those hurt feelings in an interview with CBS Sports in September, telling Dennis Dodd, “They [Michigan] were like going more down South to find more players instead of having what they have in their backyard.”

Michigan also had to overcome Underwood’s loyalty to LSU and the relationships he’d built up with offensive coordinator Joe Sloan and the Tigers, who had been in on Underwood since his freshman year of high school.

As recently as a week ago, Michigan thought Underwood was likely to end up sticking with his commitment to LSU. However, the Wolverines kept pushing and things progressively shifted in their favor in recent days, including after an important Underwood family discussion last weekend.

During that talk with his family, Underwood weighed the pros and cons of Michigan vs. LSU and it ended with Underwood feeling strongly that flipping to the Wolverines was the right move for him. As was discussed, Michigan is down this year at 5-5 but so are the Tigers, who have fallen to 6-4 following three straight losses. That worked in favor of the Wolverines. So did the idea of being a hometown hero figure for a school 30 minutes down the road from his home in Belleville as opposed to just being essentially another guy at LSU, which has had two Heisman QB winners in the last five seasons. Those closest to Michigan and Underwood insist money was not the motivating factor, though an NIL package that has been reported in the eight-figure range drew headlines and underscored the importance of Underwood to the next era of Michigan football. 

Nevertheless, the time at practice was important, too, and ended with Underwood privately indicating to Moore on Wednesday that he planned to flip to the Wolverines and with him then making it public and official on Thursday.

Underwood’s commitment is going to shake up the recruiting world and will likely contribute to Michigan flipping other LSU commits. Michigan fans can now get exclusive access to The Michigan Insider at a special new price! For a limited time only, we are offering an Annual VIP Subscription to The Michigan Insider at a whopping 75% off the cost of the full membership for your first year! Click here to sign up today!

The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Underwood’s Belleville career ended last week with a loss in the playoffs. He threw for 71 touchdowns and over 5,500 yards in that time, according to MaxPreps. He will enroll in January. 

MORE: Where the top 10 QBs in 2025 are committed after Underwood, Julian Lewis come off board

Michigan still expected to pursue transfer QB

Even after landing Underwood, Michigan still plans to pursue to a transfer quarterback. There is too much uncertainty and disappointment in Michigan’s current QB room — which started three players this season, to varying degrees of disappointment — to not do so. 

The hope is to land a veteran, bridge option figure who can both compete with Underwood for the starting job next year and be an additional person for him to learn under as he prepares to be the Wolverines’ quarterback of the future.

That plan was verbalized during discussions with Underwood and his family and was something they were completely on board with. It was made clear to Michigan that starting Day 1 wasn’t a necessity for Underwood, although this No. 1 ranked recruit is so talented that it shouldn’t be a surprise if he ends up making a push for the starting job during his first year on campus. Michigan opens the 2025 season vs. New Mexico, then travels to Oklahoma in Week 2. 

MORE: Unpacking ramifications, salary implications of Underwood picking Michigan

LSU’s QB plans in 2025 materialize 

While losing out on Underwood is a significant blow for LSU, it doesn’t mean LSU will be without talent at quarterback next year.

Multiple NFL scouts told CBS Sports this week that they think there’s a good chance current Tigers starter Garrett Nussmeier ends up returning to school for another season instead of leaving for the NFL. Had Underwood signed with LSU, perhaps Nussmeier would have been more apt to leave rather than look over his shoulder at a player who fans would pine for all offseason (as happened at Florida with Graham Mertz and DJ Lagway). 

Although Nussmeier ranks in the top-10 nationally with 3,126 passing yards and 22 passing touchdowns, the feedback that NFL scouting sources shared on Nussmeier was more in the Day 2 range as opposed to him being a solid first-round prospect. That could bode well for LSU.

“I love Nuss the person and he loves LSU way too much to leave,” one scout said.

That said, it’s not yet a guarantee that he will in fact return. A quarterback class that’s as wide-open as any in recent history could factor into Nussmeier’s thought process, although the more consistent belief in the scouting world is that Nussmeier would benefit from another year with the Tigers (this was his first season as starter). Nussmeier’s 11 interceptions are the second-most in the SEC. Five have come in LSU’s last three games, including three during a loss to Texas A&M and two in a loss to Alabama.

“If I had to take one (of the quarterbacks), I’d probably take Nuss,” a scout said. “Not saying first QB taken or first round, but he’d be the most I’m most comfortable taking a shot on. Just the way he plays the position. Got to tame some of the gunslinger in him and he’s small, but he makes all the throws and knows how to play the position.”

Opposing coaches size up Indiana vs. Ohio State, pick score

While much of SEC country expects, or is at least hoping, that Indiana will be thoroughly dominated by the Buckeyes, multiple Big Ten coaches that CBS Sports spoke to this week had a different opinion about the matchup.

Two coaches whose teams have faced both Indiana and Ohio State didn’t go as far as predicting a Hoosiers win but they both expect Indiana to be competitive against the Buckeyes, even more so after Ohio State lost starting center Seth McLaughlin this week to a season-ending injury. It was Ohio State’s second season-ending loss along the offensive line after previously losing standout left tackle Josh Simmons to a season-ending injury.

“If they can stay efficient and stay on schedule like they have all year except the Michigan game, they have a shot,” one coach said. “If Ohio State’s defense can cover them outside on the RPOs and stuff the run, it could be a long afternoon. Losing the center will hurt Ohio State because Indiana is strong on the interior d-line. Indiana’s corners are solid, but can they hold up play after play against OSU’s wide receivers. We shall find out. I think it’s close but Ohio State wins. I’d say 28-20.”

While this will be the first ranked team that Indiana has faced this season, the Hoosiers won nine of their first 10 games by at least 14 points. The only exception was their most recent game, a 20-15 victory over 5-5 Michigan.

Indiana ranks in the top seven nationally in both scoring offense and scoring defense.

“I’ve got to give respect to how well Cignetti and his coaching staff had those guys ready to play,” another coach said. “They’re not overwhelming talent-wise, but they put their kids in good positions. They’re getting a lot out of those guys that, to me, are good guys but not dominant guys at this level. Do I think Indiana is a dominant team? No. But I also just had higher hopes for Ohio State before we played them. And I just think the injuries Ohio State has sustained up front (on the offensive line) will show. 

“Their skill guys are as talented as anyone, but I don’t think they’re going to be able to run the ball against Indiana. (Indiana’s front seven is) undersized a little bit, but they play with great leverage, they’re very strong and they play hard. And what they do structurally, they do some things where it makes it hard for you. You’re going to have to throw it on them. But if Indiana can limit the big plays, it’s going to be a close game.”

Comparing Ohio State’s offense to Indiana’s defense

There was an opposing viewpoint though from a third Big Ten staffer who’s expecting Indiana to struggle vs. the Buckeyes, who enter the matchup as a 10.5-point favorite.

“In my honest opinion I think Ohio State is far more talented than Indiana,” he said. “Not sure if Indiana will be able to hang talent-wise. Indiana plays with toughness and heart. Will it be enough? I think Ohio State wins it comfortably.”

Experts pick best, worst coach openings

There are now 12 FBS head coach openings, all coming from the Group of 5 level, after Central Michigan coach Jim McElwain announced his intention to retire on Wednesday.

Open jobs in 2024-25 coaching cycle

Which job is best? And worst? We talked to a variety of sources around the sport — agents, athletic directors and personnel folks — to get to the bottom of it. 

There wasn’t a consensus for the best job but the leading pick was East Carolina with Fresno State also getting picked as the top option. 

East Carolina, which fired Mike Houston last month, is in the American Athletic Conference and has the financial resources to compete within the conference. Of all the open jobs, East Carolina paid its previous head coach the most at nearly $2.5 million. Western Kentucky coach Tyson Helton has been a prominent name in the search. 

“Pay, support, location, conference and I feel like if you can hold on to some of those guys, of all the teams that are currently available, the closest (to winning),” said one coaching agent explaining why ECU was the best. 

Fresno State has a good track record of success. Remember that Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer was Fresno State’s coach as recently as 2021. Interim head coach Tim Skipper has gone 5-5 this season after taking over for Jeff Tedford who stepped away in late July. 

The school that got multiple plaudits for most potential beyond Fresno State and ECU was Charlotte. Located in a fertile recruiting area and in the AAC, Charlotte doesn’t have much of a tradition but does have a desire to win. Biff Poggi went 6-16 in nearly two seasons as the 49ers’ head coach. 

“Charlotte is a sneaky good job in my opinion,” one industry source said.

Said one AD: “Charlotte behind (ECU and Fresno) but tons of potential.” 

The clear cut answer for the worst job available, according to the sources CBS Sports polled, was UMass, which fired Don Brown on Monday. 

“Smallest stadium in MAC,” one industry source explained. “Not a great recruiting area.” 

If Don Brown’s wife is accurate, UMass’s NIL situation is also in bad shape. Deborah Brown posted on X that UMass had a total of only $38,000 in NIL resources, by far one of the worst situations in college football if true. 

UMass hasn’t had a winning season since 2010 and has gone 8-54 since 2019. It has been an independent program since 2016 but will rejoin the MAC starting next season. 

“Some people might pick Kennesaw or Temple, but at UMass you’re just struggling,” said an industry source. “At least with Kennesaw you’re close to a good area. At UMass, you’re tucked in the Northeast where football is not great at the high school level. There is some good play in New Jersey and you can pull some New England kids, but you’ve got to recruit elsewhere.” 

MORE: CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah makes his case for Kennesaw State as worst

Pete Golding’s growth in Oxford

Ole Miss defensive coordinator Pete Golding, once the source of Alabama fans’ ire, is flourishing in Oxford, leading one of the nation’s most impressive defenses. 

No. 9 Ole Miss is 8-2 and has a good shot at making the College Football Playoff if it can win out starting this weekend against a Florida team playing better under quarterback DJ Lagway. A big reason the Rebels are in this fortuitous position is the growth of Golding and his defense. 

While Charlie Weis Jr. is the Ole Miss assistant getting more buzz this coaching cycle because of the Florida Atlantic opening, Golding is the coach program insiders pointed to as an internal name that would make sense to replace Lane Kiffin should he ever leave. While at Alabama as Nick Saban’s defensive coordinator from 2018-2022, industry sources questioned whether Golding had the disposition to be a head coach one day. He wasn’t an obvious fit to jump into a Power Five job the way his defensive coordinator predecessors, Kirby Smart and Jeremy Pruitt, were. 

But he’s grown in many ways as a coach under Kiffin at Ole Miss. Kiffin has empowered him as essentially a head coach of defense where Golding had greater say in the type of recruits/transfers Ole Miss pursued on defense and how they were deployed once they got on campus. Golding has always been a fantastic recruiter, a great benefit for Kiffin who prefers the transfer portal over the years-long high school recruiting process, but it is his leadership skills and greater confidence that have people bullish about his future. 

It has all paid off on a defense that overpowered Georgia two weeks ago for the biggest win of the Kiffin era. When everything is clicking for this Ole Miss squad, it has a legitimate argument as the nation’s best team. Golding’s defense is a big reason why. 

Tiebreakers to know this week in the Power Four

Via the incomporable CBS Sports research team, here are the conference championship tiebreakers at play this week in the Power Four.

• ACC: SMU & Miami control destiny to reach Title Game
• SMU clinches title game berth with win this week
• Clemson clinches title game berth with Miami loss this week
• Big Ten: Oregon has already clinched a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game 
• Indiana: Clinches spot in Big Ten Championship Game with a win at Ohio State
• Ohio State: Clinches spot in Big Ten Championship Game with home wins against Indiana & Michigan 
• Penn State: Must win out (at Minnesota, vs Maryland) and get help in order to make Big Ten Championship Game
• Big 12: BYU & Colorado control destiny to reach title game
• BYU: Clinches title game berth with win & Iowa State loss this week
• Colorado: Clinches title game berth with win, Arizona State loss & Iowa State loss this week
• Entering this weekend, nine of the 16 teams in the Big 12 are still in contention for the Big 12 Championship Game

• SEC: Texas & Texas A&M control destiny to reach title game (will meet next week)
• No team can clinch a title game berth this week
• Six SEC teams could finish the regular season 10-2: Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas and Texas A&M. Texas A&M needs to defeat Texas next week, and all teams involved need to win all other games.