The clock is ticking for 2025 five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood and his recruiting plans moving forward. Does he stick with LSU or does he flip to the in-state program Michigan to be the hometown hero?

The purpose of this piece is to kind of lay everything out there, to do a big-picture look at where things currently stand and where things need to go in order to get things over the finish line.

As of this writing, we are about 36 hours removed from Underwood's official visit to Baton Rouge to watch the Tigers take on Alabama, a game in which LSU ultimately loss.

Pushes were being made for Underwood to not take the visit to Baton Rouge in light of the Wolverines being involved. However, the expectation was that Underwood was always going to take that visit.

Did the visit hurt the Wolverines' pursuits? Yes.

Has the visit effectively ended the pursuit for U-M? Absolutely not.

Of course, reports from Rivals' Sam Spiegelman that the expectations from inside LSU circles suggest that Underwood will sign with the Tigers in December, Underwood has yet to formally comment on the situation and hasn't made a public statement one way or the other.

And, no, a handful of emojis on Instagram do not count.

It comes down to who you talk to. One side says one thing, the other side says another. U-M's side hasn't conceded. It shouldn't come as a surprise that LSU is saying that they're confident. It would be the exact same scenario if the roles were flipped. There is some concern, of course, from U-M's circle but nobody has thrown in the towel yet.

That doesn't mean anything until something public is given.

All of this talk could be over with a simple statement. Instead, with each passing day, one could make the argument that the door remains cracked as the talk of the Wolverines lurking is ongoing.

There is absolutely a scenario where Underwood says nothing, signs with LSU in December and goes on with his life.

But, with the state playoffs in full swing, at what point does the talk become a distraction that you want to put away for good if you truly intend to stick it out with the Tigers?

While the door might be cracked an inch, it certainly doesn't feel like it's closed. And, let's be honest, that door can close at any moment.

If there's nothing to publicly shut down the Underwood talk, how can you not assume the Wolverines are still in play?

The Belleville connection is playing a role in this to a certain degree. U-M is now favored to flip Underwood's teammate, Elijah Dotson, from Pittsburgh.

The sooner that happens, the sooner you'll have someone that can publicly vouch for Underwood to stay in his home state, someone who is good friends with Underwood.

And, obviously, it's time to talk about the elephant in the room.

Connor Stalions is working with Belleville and has been doing so for a few weeks now. Despite all of the nonsense with the NCAA, this is a net positive for the Wolverines in terms of having someone that can vouch for the program.

No, U-M didn't work in conjunction with Belleville to make this happen but sometimes to coincidences happen on their own, such as this case.

The feather the Wolverines have in their cap when it comes to the Belleville influence matters but it's not going to be the deciding factor when it comes down to it. Noteworthy, yes, but not significant enough for anyone to take a victory lap.

Sherrone Moore and Sean Magee are two of the major points of contact for why the Wolverines are in this position to begin with. Of course, others are involved in the process too but if you're looking at it from a football-specific perspective, Moore and Magee are working tirelessly.

Whether the decision ultimately comes down to U-M or LSU, it's not going to come down to the highest bidder. The two programs aren't exchanging bids like a high-stakes auction.

We are told by multiple sources that U-M's dollar number is significantly higher than what the Tigers are offering and they will not be outbid in the process.

The Wolverines were also aided by a recent donation from Passes, a company the university teamed up with recently, from an NIL perspective.

The funds are there just waiting on the green light to be used.

With those in Underwood's circle liking Underwood, and they are fans of his, there has been a push to consider staying home and playing for the hometown team.

Ultimately, however, this is going to come down to what Underwood himself wants.

Let's break it down this way:

LSU and U-M are in a five-game series for the right to his commitment. The series is tied heading into the fifth game decider with each program taking two games a piece.

LSU: Already has the commitment, has the perceived upper hand in development and offense

U-M: Will not be beaten with NIL, has members of Underwood's circle in its corner

Now, the fifth game comes down to what Underwood decides he wants to do to break the tie.

Stick with LSU, or go to U-M?

At this point, all of us are waiting to see what Underwood decides, as he alone can make that decision.

A decision that still appears to be in flux for the time being.

As I've said from day one of reporting on the situation, we are fine with letting this play out and see which way this goes.

Those plans haven't changed.

We want to lay everything out there on both sides so all the information is available for you to digest.

It's not over until something official is said. That could come shortly after this is posted or in January.

To get lost in the twists and turns of this situation is not going to accomplish anything, as I'm sure there will be other twists before this is over.

Stay the course.

---

Discuss this article with our community on our premium message boards

Not a subscriber to Maize & Blue Review? Sign up today to gain access to all the latest Michigan intel M&BR has to offer

Follow our staff on Twitter: @JoshHenschke, @Berry_Seth14, @TrevorMcCue, @DennisFithian, @BrockHeilig, @JimScarcelli, @Jerry_Diorio

Subscribe to our podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify

Check out Maize & Blue Review's video content on YouTube

Follow Maize & Blue Review on social media: Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram