ANN ARBOR, Michigan — After Michigan's 51-7 win over Colorado State, Cade McNamara said he wasn't expecting to be in a quarterback battle with sophomore J.J.
McCarthy to start this season. Jim Harbaugh announced prior to the first game that the two would battle for the starting spot with McNamara starting the first game of the season and McCarthy starting the second.
McNamara was the starter last season, helping Michigan to an 12-2 record, its first Big Ten title under Harbaugh and a berth in the College Football Playoff. «I would definitely say it's pretty unusual,» McNamara said. «It was kind of a thing I wasn't expecting by the end of camp.
I thought I had my best camp. I thought I put myself in a good position and that was just the decision that coach went with.» McNamara finished the first game completing nine of 18 passes for 136 yards and one touchdown with 61 of those yards coming on a touchdown pass to Roman Wilson.