Big money, bigger disaster: Minnesota exposes Michigan as Wolverines latest example of wasted funds NIL

Minnesota hadn’t beaten Michigan at home since 1977, but the “little brown pot” remains in Minneapolis for the next calendar year thanks to a monster performance by the Gophers.

I don’t think it’s hard to imagine the current feelings of Wolverine donors, who have invested a ton of money in this roster, led by quarterback Bryce Underwood’s huge salary that he signed before he set foot on campus in Ann Arbor.

After losing to Iowa last weekend on the final play of the game, which was karma for the way the Western Michigan game ended to start the season, the Wolverines have now lost their second straight Big Ten game.

CLOCK CONTROVERSY ALLOWS MICHIGAN WOLVERINES TO AVOID MASSIVE CONFERENCES AGAINST WESTERN MICHIGAN

And it doesn’t look like things are going to get better for head coach Kyle Whittingham in his first season as head coach in Ann Arbor.

A general view during the second quarter of a game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Minnesota Gophers at TCF Bank Stadium on October 3, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Getty Images)

It’s a disaster, and Michigan donors must wonder how a team could have wasted so much money on a roster they expected to contend for a conference title.

“Besides my wedding and the birth of my children, this could be the happiest day of my life,” Minnesota coach PJ Fleck said after the game.

That’s right, PJ Fleck and the Gophers added to the misery on Saturday, forcing Bryce Underwood into countless mistakes, while also making this Michigan team look like a middle-of-the-pack Big Ten team.

That’s the risk schools take by paying top dollar for high school athletes.

Welcome to college athletics in this era.

Of course, some schools have decided to find their talent outside of the transfer portal, most importantly at the quarterback position.

But Michigan decided to bet on a high school quarterback with a lot of potential. In the process, the school’s donors helped secure the talented 5-star a lucrative contract that would see Underwood receive approximately $10 million over the life of his contract in Ann Arbor.

Fans storm the field after the game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Michigan Wolverines at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota on October 3, 2026. (Getty Images)

BRYCE UNDERWOOD ADDRESSES KYLE WHITTINGHAM’S COMMENTS ON REMAINING STARTING QB IN MICHIGAN

Barely two years later, these same donors must be kicking themselves after taking such a gamble. Things got so bad at Michigan that the coaching staff thought long and hard about benching the starting quarterback due to his poor performance.

At some point, Kyle Whittingham will have to pull the trigger and potentially move on, regardless of how much is invested in such a prized rookie at that point.

Bryce Underwood #19 of the Michigan Wolverines looks for running room during a first half against the Western Michigan Broncos at Michigan Stadium on September 5, 2026 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) (Grégory Shamus/Getty Images)

It’s not like Michigan’s head coach recruited him, and I promise you Whittingham doesn’t care about upsetting Wolverines fans. At some point you have to cut your losses, and that time could come sooner rather than later.

But, again, that’s the risk you take by paying that much money for a college athlete. The only return on investment a donor will get from adding funds to the NIL pool is seeing their favorite team lift a trophy at the end of the season.

THE CRAIG CARTON SHOW – UNFILTERED, WITHOUT EXCELLENCE AND UNMISSABLE. DOWNLOAD HIS DAILY PODCAST NOW!

Darius Taylor of the Minnesota Golden Gophers celebrates during the first quarter against the Michigan Wolverines at TCF Bank Stadium on October 3, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Getty Images)

In this case, I can almost assure you that the only trophy Michigan has a chance of winning will come from a meaningless bowl game in December or early January, likely located in Charlotte or Orlando.

There was nothing shown on the field that should give Michigan fans hope for the future. Yes, I think Kyle Whittingham was the right person for the job in Ann Arbor, but this entire athletic department is a total disaster, and there isn’t enough Lysol to clean it up right now.

But today let’s give credit where credit is due.

Minnesota beat Michigan and PJ Fleck has been looking better every week since losing to Mississippi State.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

As for those Wolverines…

Well, they are the perfect example of wasted opportunities and wasted money.