Tommy Carr started and struggled for Michigan in a 13-6 overtime loss to No. 6 Indiana
Michigan running back Jordan Marshall (23) tries to break away from Indiana linebacker Josh Burnham (8) on a second quarter run in an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Ann Arbor, Mich. Credit: AP/Lon Horwedel
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan quarterback Tommy Carr made his first start in part because coaches had confidence in his ability to take care of the football.
In a 13-6 overtime loss to No. 6 Indiana, he lost a fumble on an ill-advised pitch and tossed an interception on a deflected pass that was thrown in traffic to hurt the Wolverines' chances of pulling off an upset.
"Both turnovers, completely on me,” Carr said.
The grandson of College Football Hall of Famers and the brother of Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr took the first snap while Bryce Underwood stood on the sideline. Last week, Tommy Carr came off the bench in the second half in a win over Penn State.
Carr completed 20 of 32 passes for 167 yards against the Hoosiers.
“I think he’s going to get better and better,” coach Kyle Whittingham said. “It would be absurd to judge him off this one performance.”
Carr was sacked four times, including on snaps from the Indiana 1 and 3 that led to a missed field goal and a game-tying field goal at the end of regulation. After the other two sacks, Michigan made a field goal and punted.
Michigan quarterback Tommy Carr (14) throws a pass in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game against Indiana, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Ann Arbor, Mich. Credit: AP/Lon Horwedel
“We made it hard on the freshman quarterback,” Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti said.
Carr got off to a rough start, losing a fumble in the first quarter and throwing an interception in the second quarter to set the Hoosiers up for two field goals and a 6-0 lead.
Underwood took one snap on Michigan's fourth drive and lost 1 yard on a run in the second quarter. In the second half, he handed the ball off once.
Carr led two touchdown drives in the third quarter last week, and his 12-yard touchdown run on third-and-9 late in the fourth quarter gave the Wolverines a two-score lead in a game they won 21-18 against the Nittany Lions.
Michigan quarterback Tommy Carr (14) scrambles out of the pocket against Indiana in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Ann Arbor, Mich. Credit: AP/Lon Horwedel
Underwood threw two interceptions in the second quarter in that game, increasing his total to six to surpass his five touchdown passes. The sophomore was the nation’s No. 1 recruit last season and is making millions each year with NIL deals and revenue sharing.
Whittingham declined to say who he would start against Indiana at his news conference earlier in the week, but Cignetti said he assumed Carr would start.
The quarterback's grandfathers are Lloyd Carr, who led the Wolverines to the 1997 national title, and Tom Curtis, who was an All-America defensive back. His brother, CJ, attended the game against Indiana while the Fighting Irish had an off week.
