Michigan Beat Penn State 21-18 as Freshman Tommy Carr Sparks Second Half Rally

Michigan beat Penn State 21-18 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, after benching its starting quarterback at half time and scoring all 21 of its points in the second half. True freshman Tommy Carr took over for Bryce Underwood with Michigan trailing 3-0, led three touchdown drives, and ran for the score that held up as the winner. It is Michigan's first Big Ten win of the season.

The first half was a punt contest with one score. Penn State opened with a 15 play, 69 yard drive that took 9 minutes and 2 seconds off the clock and ended with a 24 yard Ryan Barker field goal. Michigan started one drive on the Penn State 41 and still punted. Ten straight drives then ended without points, eight of them in punts, and Underwood threw two interceptions. He finished 5 of 11 for 43 yards. At half time, coach Kyle Whittingham told the CBS sideline reporter the team had to get something going.

Carr changes the game

Carr, a freshman from Saline wearing No. 14, entered to start the third quarter. The crowd cheered when he took the field. His first drive stalled, but on his second, third string running back Bryson Kuzdzal broke a 43 yard touchdown run and Michigan led for the first time, 7-3. Michigan's defense then took over the quarter. It intercepted Penn State quarterback Rocco Becht on back to back drives, and Carr led touchdown drives after both turnovers. A 22 yard Carr run set up a 1 yard Jordan Marshall touchdown and a 14-3 lead.

Penn State answered in the fourth quarter. Carson Hansen scored on a 2 yard run and Becht threw a two point conversion pass to Benjamin Brahmer to cut the lead to 14-11 with 11:40 left. Becht then lost a fumble on a sack by Chris Bracy, with Enow Etta recovering at the Penn State 13. Three plays later Carr ran 12 yards for a touchdown and a 21-11 lead with 2:58 to play. Penn State was not done. Becht threw a 24 yard touchdown pass to Chase Sowell with 1:11 left, but Michigan recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock. Carr finished 5 of 7 passing for 47 yards and ran four times for 36 yards, with no turnovers. Becht's three turnovers, two interceptions and the late fumble, led to Michigan points.

What it means

Michigan improved to 4-2 overall and 1-2 in the Big Ten, snapped a two game losing run, and avoided a three game losing streak to open conference play for the first time since 1967. Penn State fell to 3-4 and 0-4 in the Big Ten, its fourth straight loss. Michigan hosts Indiana on Saturday, Oct. 24. The Hoosiers lost their 22 game winning streak to Ohio State on Saturday, 19-15. Penn State has a week off before it hosts Purdue on Oct. 31.