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Saturday’s Michigan vs. Nebraska game on CBS features a rare Big Ten clash of top-two quarterback recruits

When former five-star quarterbacks Dylan Raiola and Bryce Underwood take the field Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska, it will mark the Big Ten’s most star-studded quarterback showdown since 2019 — at least according to the recruiting rankings. Raiola, the No. 2 quarterback in the 2024 class, and Underwood, the No. 1 overall prospect in 2025, face off in a matchup between Michigan and Nebraska on CBS that recalls some of college football’s most memorable quarterback duels in the past dozen years or so.

This Saturday’s clash marks the 18th time since 2013 that the top-two quarterbacks from their respective recruiting classes have faced off. Historically, these matchups have produced thrilling results, with nine games decided by 10 points or fewer and several carrying postseason or College Football Playoff implications.

Top-two quarterback recruit showdowns since 2013

Date	Winning QB	Losing QB	Score	Note
Oct. 12, 2013	Christian Hackenberg, Penn State *	Devin Garder, Michigan #	43-40 (4OT)	Unranked Penn State handed No. 18 Michigan its first loss of the season.
Oct. 26, 2013	Braxton Miller, Ohio State *#	Christian Hackenberg, Penn State	63-14
Nov. 30, 2013	Braxton Miller, Ohio State	Devin Gardner, Michigan *#	42-41
Oct. 11, 2014	Devin Gardner, Michigan *#	Christian Hackenberg, Penn State	18-13
Sept. 23, 2017	Keller Chryst, Stanford *#	Josh Rosen, UCLA	58-34
Oct. 7, 2017	Jarrett Stidham, Auburn *#	Shea Patterson, Ole Miss	44-23
Nov. 24, 2018	Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama *	Jarrett Stidham, Auburn #	52-21
Jan. 7, 2019	Trevor Lawrence, Clemson	Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama #	44-16	CFP National Championship
Oct. 5, 2019	Davis Mills, Stanford *	Jacob Eason, Washington #	23-13
Nov. 30, 2019	Justin Fields, Ohio State	Shea Patterson, Michigan *#	56-27
Dec. 28, 2019	Trevor Lawrence, Clemson	Justin Fields, Ohio State	29-23	Fiesta Bowl (CFP Semifinals)
Jan. 1, 2021	Justin Fields, Ohio State	Trevor Lawrence, Clemson	49-28	Sugar Bowl (CFP Semifinals)
Sept. 10, 2022	Bryce Young, Alabama	Quinn Ewers, Texas *	20-19
Nov. 5, 2022	Jayden Daniels, LSU *#	Bryce Young, Alabama	32-31 (OT)
Nov. 26, 2022	Spencer Rattler, South Carolina #	DJ Uiagalelei, Clemson *	31-30
Nov. 25, 2023	Cade Klubnik, Clemson	Spencer Rattler, South Carolina *#	16-7
Dec. 21, 2024	Quinn Ewers, Texas *#	Cade Klubnik, Clemson	38-24	College Football Playoff First Round

* – Played at home stadium
# – Older class

While their on-field capabilities differ slightly, there are plenty of similarities between Raiola and Underwood. Both arrived at their respective programs as high-profile, five-star quarterbacks tasked with addressing quarterback issues. Each flipped late in their recruiting cycle — Raiola from Georgia to Nebraska, Underwood from LSU to Michigan — and both currently stand as their school’s second-highest-rated signee in the modern recruiting era, immediately stepping into a leadership role with the weight of expectation on their shoulders.

Both quarterbacks have shown flashes of why they were so highly rated coming out of high school. Although Raiola had some ups and downs as a true freshman at Nebraska in 2024, his efficiency and production through three games — albeit mostly against lesser opponents — are impressive, completing 76.6% of his passes at 8.8 yards per attempt with eight touchdowns and no turnovers. His EPA per dropback (0.52) ranks eighth nationally among qualified quarterbacks in 2025.

It wasn’t until last week’s blowout against Central Michigan that Underwood began to fully live up to his five-star billing, after struggling with little support in his first road start at Oklahoma in Week 2. He’s completed 57.5% of his passes for 7.8 yards per attempt, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. But against Central Michigan, his dual-threat ability came alive, rushing for 114 yards and two scores. Underwood currently ranks tied for 35th in EPA per dropback (0.28) among qualified quarterbacks this season.

Why is this important for the Big Ten?

Beyond the individual matchup, this game carries broader implications for the Big Ten. While the conference has dominated nationally with back-to-back national championships, a head-to-head between top-two quarterback recruits landing in the Big Ten hasn’t happened often — the most recent being 2019, when Justin Fields and Ohio State faced Shea Patterson and Michigan. That underscores how rare it is for the league to get elite quarterback talent and then see them clash on the field.

Raiola vs. Underwood is a statement game not only for the individual programs, but for the Big Ten as well, as it highlights the conference’s improving quarterback depth compared to the traditionally dominant SEC — which produced 13 of the 38 quarterbacks selected in the previous three NFL Drafts, compared with seven from the Big Ten.

Games like this are a litmus test for whether the hype translates on the field.

Big Ten QBs on display

Looking at the historical matchups, it’s clear how seldom the Big Ten features top-two quarterback recruits facing off. The first four games in this instance since 2013 all came from the league’s traditional powers — Michigan, Ohio State or Penn State — with quarterbacks Devin Gardner, Christian Hackenberg and Braxton Miller squaring off.

What makes this one different is Nebraska’s presence. The Huskers haven’t been part of this kind of quarterback spotlight in the modern recruiting era, and Raiola gives them that chance. With a year of experience already behind him, he meets Underwood, a true freshman just starting out, in a matchup that offers both a glimpse of the Big Ten’s present and a preview of its future.

Where to watch Michigan vs. Nebraska live

Date: Saturday, Sept. 20 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Memorial Stadium — Lincoln, Nebraska
TV: CBS | Live stream: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App
Streaming on Paramount+ Premium