in 1937, he enrolled at the university of michigan where he played college football as a guard for the michigan wolverines football team from 1938 to 1940. as a sophomore in 1938, he was alternated with all-american ralph heikkinen and garnered attention after the penn game in which he recovered a blocked punt for a touchdown and made what was described as "a thundering block" that freed paul kromer to return another punt for a touchdown. sukup became a starter in the 1939 and 1940 seasons. in games in which sukup was a starter, the wolverines outscored opponents 349 to 107 and compiled a record of 11 wins and 2 losses.