Bryce Underwood Makes the EA CFB Cover Without Even Playing a Snap — and Fans Are Tired of It

The Michigan Wolverines football team has an elite freshman quarterback who’s about to take the reins as the starter. He was a five-star in-state recruit with an ideal blend of size, athleticism, and arm talent. His name is Bryce Underwood, and he recently received the good news that he will be on the cover of the next CFB video game.

That’s right — even without playing a single snap in college, EA Sports has chosen Underwood as a cover athlete. He becomes the first true freshman ever to grace the CFB video game front display. It also arguably puts immense pressure on him to prove his talent.

However, when fans of the video game saw that Underwood would be on the cover, many voiced their disdain. Not because they don’t believe in the young QB’s talent—let’s not forget, hardly anyone has seen him play — but rather because he will be the fifth Wolverine ever to be on the cover.

“They need to take a break from putting Michigan players on the cover,” someone suggested.

8“Didn’t Michigan just have someone on the cover that didn’t even get drafted,” another pointed out.

Yes, Michigan did just have a cover athlete in CFB 25 with Donovan Edwards. But that might be about as much shine as he’ll ever get, as he totaled only 672 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns. Recently, he signed with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent.

That’s why fans are tired of seeing Michigan players make the cover. Along with Underwood and Edwards, Charles Woodson, Desmond Howard, and Denard Robinson have all graced the cover in a Michigan uniform. Although those other athletes were well-deserving of a cover spot in the game. 

Woodson had an exceptional career at the school and was the original Travis Hunter before Travis Hunter, who appeared on the cover of the most recent edition. Howard was a legendary Heisman Trophy winner, famously striking the Heisman pose after scoring a touchdown in an iconic moment. Robinson ranks second among the school’s all-time leading rushers.

So, traditionally, having Michigan players has made sense, and nobody has questioned it. But after Edwards, taking a shot on an unproven freshman seems like it’s ruffling some people’s feathers. Why all of the favoritism for the school?

The fact of the matter is that the University has good public relations. They consistently rank as a top school in the country and are viewed as the “good guys” in their rivalry with Ohio State. It may sound unfair to some, but it is what it is. People just love the blue and yellow!

But let’s not let one bad taste spoil the rest of the meal, CFB fans. Just because Edwards struggled doesn’t mean Underwood will. In fact, he had his share of supporters in the comments. 

“Best QB in America,” wrote the most liked commenter. “His aura is off the charts, man,” another added.

So, let’s not jump to conclusions so quickly. Let’s give Underwood his fair chance at proving his worth. He could just be the next best thing in college sports.