ANN ARBOR (Interstat) — Bryce Underwood threw for 223 yards and two touchdowns, and Michigan scored 28 points in the second quarter to pull away from UTEP for a 52-17 victory Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, in an NCAA Football Bowl Division game at Michigan Stadium. Underwood, a quarterback from Detroit, completed 19 of 25 passes and rushed six times for 22 yards for the Wolverines, who improved to 3-0. UTEP fell to 1-2. The game drew 110,668. Michigan led 17-7 after the first quarter and broke the game open before halftime. UTEP scored 17 points behind two touchdown passes and a field goal. Michigan scored 17 points in the first quarter, 28 in the second and seven in the third. The game was played on a Saturday afternoon. It was the third game of the season for both programs.

UTEP opened the scoring in the first quarter when EJ Colson Jr. found Carver Cheeks deep for a 45-yard touchdown, and Carlos Arreola made the extra point. Michigan answered with 17 first-quarter points. In the second quarter, Savion Hiter scored on a 6-yard run. Colson later connected with Lamar Sperling on an 18-yard touchdown pass to cut into the lead. Underwood then found JJ Buchanan for a 21-yard score before halftime. Michigan’s 28-point second quarter proved decisive. In the third quarter, Jordan Marshall scored on a 6-yard run, Hiter added an 8-yard touchdown run, and Underwood hit Andrew Marsh for a 34-yard score. Arreola made a 39-yard field goal for UTEP. Michigan later scored on T. Carr’s 19-yard pass to Salesi Moa.

Underwood’s favorite targets were Marsh and Buchanan. Marsh caught 10 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown and returned two punts for 10 yards. Buchanan caught seven passes for 92 yards and a touchdown. Salesi Moa caught two passes for 23 yards and a touchdown from Carr. Hiter and Marshall each ran for a touchdown. Michigan’s offense finished with balanced production and controlled the line of scrimmage. Underwood also ran for 22 yards on six carries. The Wolverines scored on passes of 21 yards to Buchanan and 34 yards to Marsh. Hiter scored on a 6-yard run and an 8-yard run, while Marshall added a 6-yard scoring run.

UTEP quarterback EJ Colson Jr. completed 7 of 9 passes for 86 yards and two touchdowns. He connected with Cheeks on a 45-yard scoring pass and with Sperling on an 18-yard touchdown. Sperling also ran twice for 7 yards. Tavorus Jones led the Miners on the ground with nine carries for 34 yards and caught two passes for minus-3 yards. Raymond Moore III completed 3 of 6 passes for 7 yards and ran six times for 18 yards. Jaden Smith ran once for 13 yards and caught two passes for 10 yards. Kam Thomas ran once for 8 yards and caught one pass for 3 yards. Marcus Torres caught two passes for 10 yards, and Jeremiah Nash caught one pass for 10 yards. Royal Capell returned two kickoffs for 39 yards. Brady Braun punted six times for 195 yards, and Arreola made a field goal.

UTEP’s defense was led by Xavier Smith, who made 11 tackles. Justin Content added 10 tackles, Jayden Wilson had seven, and Adarius Hutchinson and Garrett Hawkins each finished with six. Isaiah Bogerty and Darnell Williams each had five tackles. Ashton Coker and Shay Smith each had four. Kaleb Miles had three. LaTristan Thompson, Esteban Guillory, Shakaun Bowser and Kode Lowe each had two. Elijah Fields had two tackles and a sack. Derek Burns, Donavan Howard, Sterling Miles, Ian Hall, Royce Wilson and Dycin Davis each had one tackle. Despite the tackle totals, UTEP could not slow Michigan’s passing game or second-quarter surge.

Michigan’s defense also produced several key stops. Chase Taylor had five tackles and half a sack. Max Alford, Troy Bowles and Rod Moore Jr. each had four tackles. Tariq Boney had four tackles, one sack and two quarterback hurries. John Henry Daley added three tackles and a sack. Enow Etta had three tackles, and Markel Dabney had one. Cam Brown punted once for 45 yards. Trey Butkowski handled kicking duties for the Wolverines. Shamari Earls and Donovan Johnson also appeared for Michigan.

The victory continued a strong start for Michigan, which had beaten Western Michigan 13-12 on Sept. 5 and Oklahoma 17-10 on Sept. 12. Underwood had passed for 111 yards and rushed for 87 yards with a touchdown in the Oklahoma win. UTEP had opened with a 51-0 loss at Oklahoma on Sept. 4 before beating Texas Southern 51-10 on Sept. 12. The Miners will return home to face Oregon State on Sept. 26 before playing at New Mexico on Oct. 3, hosting Nevada on Oct. 10 and San Jose State on Oct. 17, playing at North Dakota State on Oct. 31, hosting Hawaii on Nov. 7 and Wyoming on Nov. 14, playing at Air Force on Nov. 20 and at Northern Illinois on Nov. 28. Michigan will host Iowa on Sept. 26 before playing at Minnesota on Oct. 3, hosting Penn State on Oct. 17, Indiana on Oct. 24, playing at Rutgers on Oct. 31, hosting Michigan State on Nov. 7, playing at Oregon on Nov. 14, hosting UCLA on Nov. 21 and playing at Ohio State on Nov. 28. Michigan’s game against Iowa will begin Big Ten play for the Wolverines. UTEP’s matchup with Oregon State is a nonconference contest.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Michigan 42, UTEP 16. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Michigan with a 99.8 percent probability to win. UTEP had been installed with a pregame spread of plus-34.5. The over/under line for the game was 48.5. The combined score finished at 69.